Space Oddity
by Istani
Summary: AU. A mortal witch is on a quest to save Loki from himself. Someone riffled and dealt out the cards for a new game in which much is the same and yet everything is different.
1. Chapter 1

Space Oddity

Summary: Captivity was not his favourite past time; he wasn't overly fond of torture and pain. Thor should have known that when he left Loki at S.H.I.E.L.D to have shawarma with his new best friends.

Someone riffled and dealt out the cards for a new game in which much is the same and yet everything is different. A mortal witch is on a quest to save Loki from himself.

The Tesseract has not lost its draw, the sceptre is in need of a new pawn to wields it, and somewhere in outer space The Other insists a deal once made must be fulfilled.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The Avengers belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, any characters or spells you recognize from the Harry Potter books belong to JK Rowling. Even the story title isn't mine; it's a song from David Bowie.

A/N There is some crossover with the HP universe, mostly the magic, but it's not enough HP to put it in the crossover section. This is as much a sequel to Children of the Revolution as there will ever be.

Chapter 1

Raven Snape and her friend Edie Black were sunbathing on the rooftop terrace when aliens attacked New York City. They, however, didn't take notice of any of that because the top floors of the building were protected by magical wards that kept the noises of the city at bay.

It was only when a spacecraft landed in her husband's greenhouse with a loud crash that Raven lifted an eye. A strange looking creature got off of its flying device and approached the two women. It didn't appear friendly, and most certainly it had not stopped for a cup of coffee, because it was wielding a bayonet like rifle.

Immediately, Raven jumped to her feet and brandished her wand. "Edie, get inside and stay there. I don't know how this-"

A flash of blueish light erupted from the alien's weapon.

"Protego!"

The surge from her wand sent the alien reeling backwards.

"Ah well, it's not immune to magic."

Meanwhile, Edie had rushed inside the Snapes' living room without looking back; she simply ran for the place she knew Raven kept a gun- even though her friend never used it. But to Edie it felt good and safe to hold a weapon in her hands as she slowly glanced around a corner towards the terrace.

There was a flash of red light, then a sparkle of blue that got countered by a white glow, and the alien lost its weapon when its arm was severed off. Grunting, it crashed to the floor., winced one last time and lay still.

"Is it dead?" Edie asked as she inched closer, aiming the gun at the lifeless form on the ground.

Cautiously, Raven gave it a scan with her wand, checking for vital signs, before she prodded it with her toe. "At least it doesn't move anymore- whatever it is. It's definitely none of the beasts known in the magical bestiary..." She glanced at her friend. "Oh, and Edie, if you want to threaten any known or unknown creature with a gun, you should at least remember to take the safety off"

Edie sighed and brushed a strand of midnight-blue hair behind her ear. When she was younger, she used to wear it in a Mohawk style but now, being older and not necessarily wiser, she preferred a geometrically cut bob. It failed to make her look more reputable, though, due to the many tattoos inked into her skin.

She put the gun away and moved a little closer to the strange creature as if drawn to it by some kind of weird fascination. Nothing could shock or surprise her anymore, not since the day, more than thirty years ago, she had learned that her friends were all magical and she was a Muggle. In the end, it didn't really matter. They were still friends and she was married to a wizard. "It's fascinatingly ugly, isn't it?"

Raven groaned. "Oh no, Edie, you can't possibly mean to-"

Too late. Edie had already pulled out her cell-phone and was taking pictures of the alien creature.

"Do you think we could possibly try to get off the helmet thing for a few close-ups?"

"Edie, this is madness!" Raven rolled her eyes. "Look around. New York is under attack. There are more and more of them coming from that weird hole in the sky and-"

"Yeah, it seems to be connected to that ugly Stark Tower." Edie observed quite correctly since the attack seemed to be focused to a few blocks surrounding said building, and the reason why she sounded slightly pissed off was because the Muggle billionaire Tony Stark had dared to build a higher tower than that of her husband, Regulus Black. "Oh look, there is the tin can man, zooming up to the wormhole- if that's where he gets his clean energy from then we're fucked up."

Apparently, that was not the case. A little later the _wormhole_ or whatever you might call it was closed, the aliens were all gone and the flying device that had landed in Severus' greenhouse made one last buzzing sound. Fortunately, it hadn't harmed the Mandrakes for their cries could have been fatal.

Meanwhile, Edie was taking a few more pictures of the now decidedly dead alien and she couldn't wait to make the first sketches. She was a tattoo artist, renown for her detailed drawings of the ugly, the horror that some people loved to get inked into their skin. Not many of them knew, however, that most of her inspiration came from creatures that really existed.

"I don't like it," Raven mused, shaking her head ever so slightly as she glanced from the crashed space craft over the glassy balustrade of her terrace and into the streets of Midtown Manhattan where the fires were slowly ceasing. "This is so very not like Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and no friendly Starman is waiting in the sky 'cause he'd like to come to meet us-"

"Yeah, it's definitely more reptile-like than spidery... but well, Bowie recorded that in the early seventies when we were kids. A lot of things have changed in the meantime."

"True..."

Times had changed, that was for sure, and they had changed in the wizarding world, too. With the dawn of the new millennium, Muggles had become aware of the existence of wizards and witches- well not the ordinary Muggle in the streets, they were still oblivious to a parallel society just right next to theirs. But the governments knew. Or rather, the intelligence services.

In an age of globalisation threatened by terrorist attacks, intelligence was the new currency. Muggle technology was improving constantly and at a tremendous speed. Surveillance cameras where everywhere, satellite pictures made it almost impossible for the wizarding world to remain invisible. Fortunately, all of that had started some years after Lord Voldemort's final defeat when the wizarding world was at peace and therefore not a danger, not another threat for the Muggles.

Deals had been made between the International Confederation of Wizards and its Muggle counterpart, the UN, to ensure a friendly coexistence. So far, so good.

Of course, there were always some incorrigible pure-bloods who still believed in being superior to Muggles, not realizing how very wrong they were. Then there were the traditionalists, who wanted everything to stay just the way it was, the way it used to be since the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was first signed in 1689. Most of them withdrew from the Muggle world almost entirely, and many of them moved to Hogsmeade, which had grown from a village to a prospering small town in 2012.

On the other hand, there were also the younger and more progressive wizards and witches, mostly half-bloods and Muggleborns, who understood their advantage of knowing both worlds and opted against living in the medieval times of the wizarding world. They thought the old ways antiquated, wondering why one would use the dusty Floo Network or bother to send a Patronus when there were faster and more efficient means of communication- like Twitter and Facebook- so they rather used smartphones and computers, the magic of modern times. Especially since there were simple spells to prevent Muggle electronic devices from crashing in a magical environment.

There were even intelligence services run by wizards and Muggles. The FBI founded a team of Special Agents investigating paranormal crimes committed by wizards and witches back in 1998, after Lord Voldemort's second attempt to rule the world. And ten years later, the non-governmental WIIA (Wizarding Investigation and Intelligence Agency) was born when the FBI experiment went wrong. It was headed by the old, battle-worn Auror Alice Steel, Raven's friend, mentor and boss.

Edie said goodbye soon after and so Raven called Alice Steel to give a brief report of what she had just witnessed.

"Turn on the TV, lass, it's on every channel." Steel said in a voice that sounded as if she'd gargle with barbed wire every day.

"Yep, but one of them landed on my terrace- well, it crashed into Sev's greenhouse to be precise-"

"Oh dear, are the Mandrakes alright?"

"It's refreshing how you worry about my safety, Al."

"You can take care of yourself. But the Muggles suffered enough today, they don't need to hear the fatal cries of Mandrakes to make this day even worse."

"Speaking of taking care of myself- this alien thing reacted weirdly to magic. My Protego Charm seemed to be more efficient than a Stunner, and when I cut off its arm with Sectumsempra, it died. I would like to take it to our lab for a closer look."

"Aliens are none of our business, Raven. Apparently, a group of superheroes took care of them. Tony Stark's Iron Man and some others. But before curiosity gets the better of you and you autopsy it on your kitchen table (much to your husband's delight, I assume), I'll send a team to clean up and you can enjoy yourself tomorrow."

"Thanks, Al."

"It's always a pleasure to see you happy, lass, even if you've got weird hobbies."

Raven laughed at that. It was true, she was fascinated with the work of medical examiners ever since she watched _Quincy, M. E._ in her youth. After Auror Training and working as an Auror for two years, she went to a Muggle medicine school in a futile attempt to become a medical examiner herself, but never sat an exam when she realized real life was not a TV series and that she would hardly ever leave her workplace in the morgue to collect more evidence.

Nevertheless, she had worked as an intern for the chief medical examiner in the New York crime laboratory while studying medicine, and she knew how to do an autopsy.

"Meanwhile," Steel continued, "watch TV if you want to know more about the attack. At the moment, the media's still in control but it won't take long until _they'll_ draw the curtain over it."

Since Raven had worked for the FBI- in fact, it had been Alice Steel who had introduced her to their Special Forces team- she knew very well who _they_ were, even if _they_ were faceless and nameless. The people in the background, pulling the strings, hushing up things. The very same people who had ordered the experiments. At first, they were covered as drug tests that every member of the team had to undergo on a regular basis. Only that they didn't check for drugs. Instead, they ran a thorough DNA analysis in order to find the wizarding gene, the one gene that distinguished wizards from Muggles. When they didn't find it they expanded the experiments on wizards and witches held captive at Quantico.

But now was not the right time to mull over whatever ethical or moral discrepancies had made her leave the FBI because Raven's phone was ringing again. The picture on the display showed her husband, and so she told Alice Steel to hold on for a minute in order to answer his call. First things first and Sev would always be her top priority

"Hey, love, you alright?" She asked, glad to know that the potions research lab where he was working was in the outskirts of New York and therefore far away from the mayhem that had happened in Manhattan.

"I worried about you when I heard the news. Are you alright?"

"Well, I actually didn't notice what the fuck was going on until that alien spacecraft thing crashed into your greenhouse- don't worry, your Mandrakes are fine. No harm done to them at all."

"Witch, you'll be the death of me," Severus Snape snarled at his wife. "I'm not worried about some fucking Mandrakes, I worry about you."

"I miss you, too, love. Come home soon, will you?"

He hang up, so Raven switched to the other line again when all of a sudden Severus appeared out of thin air, right in front of her,. "Al, I'll call you back."

She put her phone away in order to hug and kiss her husband, the well-established potions master Severus Snape.

They'd known each other since they were eleven years old, childhood friends that became lovers in later years even if their relationship had not been an easy one in the beginning. Now, however, they were an item for more than thirty years and had actually managed to get married fifteen years ago- not because she would have ever doubted her love for Severus but for a lack of time; Raven had simply been too busy studying forensic science while working three nights a week at the New York crime laboratory. Only to realize that she was a witch and not a Muggle scientist, and that she wanted a job where she could be both.

"Damn, Raven, you were so close to the middle of all this madness." Severus said when he finally let go of her. "But what actually happen?"

"Aliens attacked the city; superheroes saved us all." Raven turned on the TV and for a while they surfed from one channel to the next, each of them broadcasting the breaking news. As usual when big things happen, there were various experts explaining the events from their very own angle, and the more of them appeared on the screen the more diluted the truth became. Soon, the first conspiracy theories came up. The most absurd one was that Osama bin Laden had not been killed but managed to escape into another dimension where he found allies to launch an attack on New York City. Others explained the alien attack as a sign of the approaching apocalypse.

Then there were the survivors and eyewitnesses who had amazing things to report. A waitress said Captain America saved her life; one boy claimed he saw a huge green rage monster smashing the aliens; someone shouted, _'I love you, Thor!' _Tony Stark's Iron Man was being mentioned and one anchorman spoke of a group calling themselves the Avengers. It didn't take long for a second-rank politician already on campaign to make demands on reparation due to the destruction caused by the Avengers (cunning as he was he knew he couldn't sue some dead extra-terrestrials)- that was the moment Raven turned off the TV because no relevant news would come from that.

"Garlic prawns and salad?" She asked Severus.

"Sounds great," he glanced out at the terrace and to his greenhouse decorated with an alien spacecraft, musing, "It shouldn't have gotten through the barriers..."

"Well, check on that while I prepare dinner."

Although Raven knew a fair bit about wards (it was part of her Auror training years ago), Severus was a master in warding a house. Since they had grown up during Lord Voldemort's first rise to power, it had been necessary for him to learn this art in order to keep them safe, and in later years he had improved his skills to make their home not only safe but also undetectable by any means Muggle surveillance could possibly come up with.

-ooOoo-

"If it's all the same to you... I'll have that drink now." Loki said and smirked. He had been defeated but he'd been through worse without using his sense of humour.

The formidable group calling themselves the Avengers stared down at him. Grimly. Stark's lips twitched and he made a small move- well, it was his Iron Man suit that gave a metallic creak- as if he would actually consider to get him a drink. But perhaps it was more likely that Stark desired one himself. Probably he was upset about the destruction caused to his apartment. That, however, was not Loki's fault. He had not asked to get tossed around and smashed into the floor by that green monster.

But before anyone really moved, Thor grabbed Loki by the neck and lifted him to his feet. Every bone in his body screamed in protest and he wondered how many ribs the Hulk had broken. He knew they would heal soon...

An instant later, Loki tasted cold metal. A muzzle covered his mouth, and he heard the treacherous click of handcuffs made- his eyes widened- of finest Asgardian steel. Next, a collar came around his neck and chains rattled. But he didn't pay attention to the latter because he felt the sickening sensation of his magic being bound. Desperately, he tried to reach for it, but it slipped through his fingers like sand and there was only one little straw he could grasp- before the pain kicked in. It came over him in hot throbbing waves of red, and he knew there was no way he could heal his injuries now.

_Damn._

They would not see him flinch, though. He could still keep up appearance and so he smiled, even if all they got to see was a glitter of feigned amusement in his eyes.

Thor pushed him forward.

"Shawarma, now?" Stark asked.

Thor glanced at Loki, who thought it clever to nod as if he'd been invited, too. "We cannot leave my brother here."

_I'm __**not**__ your brother, you stupid oaf._ Loki wished Thor would not always forget that, but then again it was Thor, and he never accepted change easily.

"S.H.I.E.L.D has an operation base in the city." Barton said. "I'll call Fury."

When they arrived in the basement of S.H.I.E.L.D Central, Fury was awaiting them already. Six armed agents escorted Loki to the detention area, a room with white walls, white concrete floor, and bright lights that cast no shadows. In the middle of the room was- oh, surprise- a round glass cage. These mortals of S.H.I.E.L.D were just so predictably unimaginative.

This cage was smaller than the one on the Helicarrier, apparently not built to detain a huge green rage monster. Loki glanced around. He sighed, his last chamber had at least a small bench.

He would have loved to ask Fury for a magazine or tell Thor to bring him some shawarma, whatever that was. But it must be something really good if Thor was willing to delay their return to Asgard and leave him in this glass cage just to join his new friends.

_Now what would Odin say to that?_

Which reminds him that he wasn't that eager to return to Asgard either. He was so not looking forward to having one of those talks with his not father. At least the disappointment in Odin's eyes- _eye,_ he corrected himself- wouldn't hurt anymore now that he knew Odin was not his father. He didn't strive for his praise anymore... it had been a futile aim in the past, anyway.

Loki paced his cage. He would have been totally bored by the time Thor returned if fighting back the pain had not kept him busy. Every little step hurt, but if he sat down on the floor he'd probably not be able to get up again... not gracefully, at least. Or he'd simply pass out. Both options were not the show he wanted to give his spectators in the other room, watching his every move. And he knew they were watching. He had learned a lot about Midgardian technology during his not so glorious visit here to know what all these little cameras were for. So before he gave them something to gloat over, he'd rather bore them with pacing, putting up a stoic face. And ignoring the pain.

Later, Loki saw Thor talking to Fury and heard him say him that he was going to face Asgardian justice, and he knew the meaning of those words. Thor would get a benevolent smile from the Allfather and he a look of disgust. Then, probably, another cell. Of course, he could beg and plead and call Odin _father_ as many times as possible- the idea made him feel sick and it was not wise to get really sick when a muzzle covered your mouth.

Thor said something about the Tesseract then, and didn't he notice the slight twitch of Fury's upper lip?

_Why was the Tesseract in the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D again?_

That very moment- _how very opportune_\- Fury's phone rang.

Loki couldn't hear what Fury was saying until the director handed the phone to Thor with the words, "There's someone who wants to talk to you, calling from Norway."

Thor almost crushed the fragile device in his pranks.

"Jane? JANE! IS IT YOU? ARE YOU SAFE? THEY SAID YOU'RE IN NORWAY!"

Loki rolled his eyes. It was Thor's second time on Midgard and yet the oaf didn't seem to have learned anything about the technology of mortals, or else he wouldn't shout as if his voice had to carry his words all the way to Norway. This was so-

"We can fly her in, if you like." Fury suggested- _clever manipulating bastard_\- and Thor- _stupid, naïve Thor_\- agrees with a broad smile on his face. The prospect of seeing his beloved mortal again must have rendered him even more brainless than he usually was. Did he really not grasp what Fury was scheming?

The Tesseract was back with S.H.I.E.L.D and Fury was stalling. He was hoping to gain more time; time he would undoubtedly use for further research on the Tesseract. Time to finish Phase 2. Just in case. Because no matter how much he liked the idea of having a team superheroes to save the world, he trusted them as far as he could throw them.

Loki would have laughed out loud if nor for the damned muzzle. _How very ironic, dear not brother, you came up with this really great idea of turning me mute just now..._

-ooOoo-

Raven was just slicing tomatoes when the doorbell rang and two quite young, probably freshly recruited WIIA agents stood at her doorstep.

"Agent Ramirez and Agent Primrose, at your service Ma'am," a pretty Latino witch introduced themselves. "Director Steel ordered us to collect something from your terrace."

"Yeah, come in, please. You can help my husband to take that alien flying device from his greenhouse- oh, and don't forget the body.."

"You really killed one of those aliens?" The blond-haired wizard asked in awe. "Wow, that's pretty cool, ain't it, Camilla?"

"Primrose!" Agent Ramirez reprimanded him sharply. "We're here to do our job."

_Oh, she's a fierce one, that little Latino witch._ Raven smirked. Then she whispered to Agent Primrose, apparently a Muggleborn wizard. "You're interested in aliens? Well, take its body to the morgue and you can join Doc Higgins and me for the autopsy tomorrow."

"Yes, Agent Snape." Primrose answered obediently but he seemed to blanch a little; apparently he wasn't that interested in aliens anymore.

With a grin she watched them scurrying to the terrace, doing their job, while she busied herself in the kitchen again. That was the advantage of being a senior agent- she didn't have to clean up but could enjoy a pleasant evening with her husband instead. On the other hand, it also reminded her that she wasn't young anymore. Fortunately not, she thought sometimes. And having reached the age of fifty-two years wasn't even old when considering the life-span of wizards. Thanks to the longer life expectancy of the wizardkind, she didn't even look much older than thirty-something...

She dispelled these thoughts, shaking her head in disapproval. Why worry about a number? Annoyed at herself she sliced two cloves of garlic and added them to the hot olive oil in the pan, then decided to slice a third. She was a happy witch. She was married to the love of her life and she had made a career in criminal investigation all by herself.

"Ah, that smells good..." Without her noticing, Severus had entered the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the nape of her neck.

Raven turned around in his embrace to give him a quick peck on the check before she let the prawns drop into the pan, watching them sizzle in the aromatic oil.

"So, did agents Ramirez and Primrose do their job satisfactorily?" She asked at long last.

"Indeed." Severus whispered into her ear, causing a pleasant shiver to run down her spine. "They removed that extra-terrestrial flying device from my greenhouse; they removed the body. I tended to my Mandrakes. Now, we can enjoy our terrace again."

He uncorked a bottle of wine before he helped her to set the table outside. Despite the events that had occurred today, they were going to have a pleasant evening with good food, a good bottle of wine and good sex a little later. Raven was a happy witch.

"By the way, they asked me to tell you that Alice sent you some footage you might want to take a look at. Apparently she found something more interesting than what we watched on TV."

Her smile faded. So much about a pleasant evening-

"I guess that can wait until tomorrow," she decided then. After all, what happened today was not a case for the WIIA. _Aliens are none of our business, Raven, _Alice had said.

And yet, there was quite a lot of footage on her computer the next day. Raven stilled her curiosity because naturally, she was curious- you just didn't meet an alien every day, let alone witness hordes of them attacking New York. Thanks to the Avengers, everything had turned out well- or as well as possible- in the end. They had beaten the _Chitauri_ (as these aliens were called), had prevented a nuclear strike on Manhattan (some idiot would always think that the only way to solve a problem) and so the city still existed the day after. Damaged, but still standing, still alive. Iron Man had redirected the nuclear missile aimed at Manhattan and shot it into that wormhole in the sky.

Raven was just a bystander, a witch with some magical skills but there was nothing she could have done. Her skills paled in comparison to the powers of superheroes like the Avengers. She didn't have a suit, she didn't possess extraordinary strength, she couldn't turn into a huge, green rage monster. She was no demigod like that Thor of Asgard... she was just a simple witch...

All she could do was to learn and to understand, and therefore she went to WIIA headquarters to enjoy a day in Doc Higgins lab.

The alien- _Chitauri_\- body was already on the dissecting table when she arrived . Medical examiner Horatio Archibald Higgins beamed at her with excitement. He was a wiry Muggleborn wizard with tousled grey hair, wearing big, round glasses that made him appear like a funny insect. But despite his appearance he was a well-trained doctor of medicine, magical healer, and chief medical examiner for the WIIA.

Raven learned a lot from him these past four years.

"My dear, you gave me such a precious gift with this one." Doc Higgins gushed, pointing at the alien- Chitauri. "I examined many beasts before but this... this is extraordinary."

"Extra-terrestrial." She said quietly, not wanting to correct him with her statement.

"Yes... yes... a very strange life-form, indeed. Never knew something like this could exist. Just look-"

He had already removed the armour from the body- or at least as far as he could since it seemed to be attached to the body by wires- and made the Y incision to lay open the internal organs of the creature. They didn't look human at all.

"Interesting." Raven observed, moving closer. "It looks like a reptile... well, to be more precise, like a mixture of a reptile and a machine."

"Exactly! They have the three-chambered heart of reptiles but instead of two atria there are wires not running blood but energy. That's why it died... or should I say _ceased to exis_t?- because you cannot kill what never really lived- when you severed its arm."

"So in case they ever attack again, I merely have to cut off a limb?"

Doc Higgins took off his glasses and pinched his nose before glancing at her again . "Well, so it seems... on the other hand, according to the footage Director Steel sent you, it might be even more effective to destroy their mother ship since they all seem to be linked to it."

"Great!" She said dryly. Although she had watched the Star Wars saga and could wield the Sectumsempra Curse like a Jedi light sabre, she wasn't prone to science fiction in general. She was a witch, and witches had nothing to do with aliens from outer space or wherever the Chitauri came from. There was no possible way she would ever fight them again- assuming it was true that the Iron Man really destroyed their mother ship when he sent the missile at it, as the footage she got from Alice Steel indicated.

About a week, while New York City was slowly getting back to normality and business as usual- because that's what the city that never sleeps always did, no matter how bad it had been hit- Director Steel called Raven and asked her to show up at headquarters as soon as possible.

"Oh no, another case..." she sighed as she kissed her husband. Severus was preparing to leave for a conference meeting of potioneers in Kathmandu, and she had hoped to accompany him. There was always so very little time left for them to be together.

Perhaps that was what has kept their love alive those past thirty plus years- time was precious.

"See you tonight, love." Raven kissed him again before she Apparated to WIIA headquarters.

It was located in an unobtrusive building in an unobtrusive part of town, hidden behind the windows of a flower shop that no one ever visited.

She passed the ghost of Frank, still running the flower shop even after he died in 1942, tying to ignore the sickening scent of decaying lilies as she urgently hit the button for the elevator that would take her down to the subterranean levels of the building.

Finally, the doors opened and Raven was face to face with Alice Steel, former Auror and director of WIIA, now.

She was sitting behind her desk, a table made of old mahogany wood, surrounded by computer screens. When Raven entered, she looked up and smirked, revealing a battle-scarred face crowned with a cap of shortly-cut white hair and a pair of very attentive green eyes.

"So good to see you," she rasped in that gargling barb-wire tone of hers. "How's your dear husband?"

"Just fine. Going to Kathmandu in a couple of days, as you may know, and I'd like to accompany him."

"No, you don't. I need you here."

"Why?" Raven asked, trying not to pout.

"Because Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D approached me with a request-."

"S.H.I.E.L.D? Aren't they the guys behind the Avengers, the superheroes that saved us all?"

"Aye, the very same." Alice replied.

Raven fell silent for a moment, clearly puzzled. "How can I be of any use to S.H.I.E.L.D? I'm a witch, not a superhero... this... this is so _very_ out of my league. "

"So it seems. But oddly, Fury asked for a witch- well, for someone with magical skills." Alice smiled at her; it was a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"You don't like this either?" Raven concluded.

"After our experiences with the FBI? Honestly? S.H.I.E.L.D is just another of those big and faceless organisations- but I met Fury before and he seemed to be rather okay for a Muggle. Mind, that doesn't mean I trust him. But it's up to you to find out what he's up to. "

Raven nodded thoughtfully before she asked. "What do you want me to wear for the meeting, Al? Traditional robes? Business costume? Or sweet and innocent in pink?"

"Leave the pink and go for a modest, professional appearance; S.H.I.E.L.D will like that." Alice advised her before she told her all she knew about their newest assignment. "You will meet a certain Agent Hill in the lobby of the Excelsior hotel, precisely at 2 PM. Maria Hill is Fury's assistant. She will take you to S.H.I.E.L.D Central."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thanks for reading; but don't be shy, please review.

Thanks to ellennar for beta reading.

Chapter 2

Raven wondered why Muggles always had to complicate things. She met Agent Hill in the lobby of the Excelsior, and Hill greeted her with a cool, professional smile... almost a bit calculating. Then they took the elevator to the rooftop where a helicopter was waiting for them. Big show.

The flight was short; it lasted a mere couple of minutes. During that flight, no one bothered to talk to Raven nor gave her a quick briefing. Occasionally, Hill eyed her with curiosity. Perhaps, traditional robes would have met her expectations better than the conservatively-tailored trouser suit and white blouse she was wearing; her hair was tied up in a tight bun. Well, it wasn't really Raven's preferred style either, but as long as she didn't know what S.H.I.E.L.D wanted she'd give them the unobtrusive secretary look.

Finally, the helicopter landed on another rooftop. There where some more helicopters and also two Quinjets- Raven had done her homework and so she knew those were VTOLs, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s vertical take off and landing aircrafts.

Agents Hill guided her through the security check, then they took another elevator going down to the basement of the building and another security check.

She had known they would check her for weapons, therefore she had taken her gun. If they found a gun or her, they wouldn't take a closer look at the ebony stick she had hidden in the sleeve of her jacket, magically concealed. It gave Raven a feeling of safety. Just as much as the Muggles of S.H.I.E.L.D felt safe with all their security checks, surveillance cameras and meeting in the crowded hotel lobby in order to take a helicopter flight to this place. They could have given her the address and she could have Apparated... but well, probably these big organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D or the FBI simply loved to boast with all of their capabilities.

Agent Hill led the way down brightly lit corridors of cold white concrete. A group of four agents, all well-armed, escorted them. They looked as if they were very well trained in combat... and it was likely that even the secretaries and clerks in the upper floors of S.H.I.E.L.D Central were better trained in combat than Raven was. The idea made her feel very uncomfortably. Her hands were sweaty as her fingers searched for the handle of her wand...

They entered a room filled with lots of technical equipment, computers and monitors and all that stuff. In the middle of the room stood a tall, black man clad in a long black leather coat. He was bald, and when he turned around to greet Raven, the first thing she noticed was his black eye-patch and some faint scarring around his left eye.

"Raven Snape? Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D Central. I'm Nick Fury." The corners of his lips twitched a little in the hint of a smile, but his face remained stern and inscrutable. He was not a man who wasted time with pleasantries. Instead, he preferred to come straight to the point. "Now, to the matter of your assignment. You know, of course, about the alien attack on New York. It was on the news for days. But don't believe all you've been told."

"Yep. I already ruled out Osama Bin Laden as the initiator." Raven said dryly.

He didn't show amusement. "Fact is, the initiator of the Chitauri attack is in our custody. He is not of our world-"

"Director Fury, sir, I think you contacted the wrong person." Raven interrupted him in a polite but determined tone. "I'm sorry, but the WIIA has no dealing with aliens. We know nothing about them. We only concern ourselves with all things magically related."

"I am aware of that, and this is actually all about magic. I want you to meet our prisoner."

He led her to an adjacent room just as white and bright as the rest of this subterranean place, made of cold white concrete. Lights that cast no shadows lit a glass cage in the middle of the room. Inside that cage stood a man. Tall and lean, dark-haired, pale. A muzzle made of leather and silver covered his mouth and chin. From a collar around his neck, chains were running to handcuffs.

He was pacing the cage with an expression of boredom and perhaps a spark of amusement in his green eyes as they fell on Raven.

"That's Loki of Asgard. He came to earth with the glorious purpose to rule it, so he opened a portal for his army, the Chitauri, to attack Manhattan."

_Loki? Asgard? _Of course she knew Norse mythology and she wasn't even that much surprised- after all, _Thor _had been on TV. It was just... Loki was simply not the name for a despotic and feared supervillian; real evil answers to names like Lord Voldemort or something... well, grim.

"We have no quarrel with the people from Asgard. His brother Thor is our ally and I promised him he can take Loki back home to face Asgardian justice. But I need more than his word that Odin will punish him satisfactorily. I need guarantee Loki will never be able to threaten us again."

"I still don't see how I could be of any help." Raven said as moved closer to the cage.

They weren't alone in the room. There were five more agents with their arms at the ready, of them was an archer, and they all seemed to be gloating over the fact that Loki was inside the cage.

_Charming guys._

"Loki tricked us all with his magic. At the moment, it is bound. I wish it to remain that way."

"Okay..." Raven allowed hesitantly, feeling a little uncomfortable now. "Would you please care to specify that?"

"It's not that hard to understand, really. Is there a way to stop him from using magic ever again?"

_Not good. Muggles shouldn't even try to consider such an option. Perhaps the traditionalists were right in hiding from the modern world..._

"You may want to try it like in the good old days and light a human pyre."

The archer snickered- that guy had a sick sense of humour.

"We do not intent to kill him." Fury said. "Is there no... _spell..._ that can take away his magic?"

"Magic is not a toy you can take away from a wayward child." She glanced at Loki.

"He's not a wayward child. He's a mass murder and a war criminal." Fury objected.

"And there is still no spell." Raven lied, because in fact there was one. A curse. The darkest of magic. She recalled an old tome, still gushing red with blood leaking from its pages and the screams of horror were lingering in every single word that described how the magical core of a wizard had been torn out... an eternity of torture by the _Cruciatus Curse _while being skilled alive was like a balm in comparison to what that curse did. Loki seemed to know that too, perhaps the projection of her memory had been quite animated. His eyes widened in panic and he looked very, very scared.

Later, she couldn't quite recall _when_ she came up with the decision that Loki needed a friend. Perhaps it was that very moment when their eyes locked and she noticed the edges of his glamour were fraying, though not enough for Muggles to see. He was strong on the surface, trying to keep up his posture despite the signs of torture. Underneath that was a broken, damaged soul.

Lonely. Not evil... she had looked in the face of pure evil and even after so many years the face of Voldemort still gave her the creeps. Loki was not like that.

Deep down there was hurt, hidden behind whirling fumes of anger.

It was a dangerous cocktail. Dangerous for the world if he was being pushed too far, if he crossed the line without a return ticket. Dangerous for himself as well. Raven doubted he really wanted to go that way.

She needed time. _Trust me,_ her eyes told Loki. It gained her a frown.

"You can't take away magic," Raven told Fury. "You can bind it and I think that has already happened. I can check these bonds for you, in order to ascertain their safety. It will take a day or two because I may have to look up some things in my library, and if my report satisfies you in the end, you can let Thor take him back to Asgard- perhaps with the restriction that the bonds will never come off."

Fury pondered her words before he nodded. "Agreed."

Raven walked towards the door of the glass cage and waited. She turned around to arch a brow at Fury who was still standing where she had left him, arms crossed over his chest. It was so hard to figure him out.

Legilimency was a wonderful thing when performed gently, more like taking a sneak peek at emotions floating on the surface, but it was damn hard to do on a man with only one eye.

"You will have to let me in if you want a sufficient report."

"He's dangerous."

"I appreciate you worrying over me but I'm not an innocent damsel in distress. I worked for Auror office, for the FBI. I am a witch. I can take care of myself.

"Besides, you can still shoot him if things go wrong."

The archer took an eager step forward. He seemed to have some serious issues with the prisoner; there was cold hatred in his eyes... and memories of giving vent to his feelings...

Raven didn't want to pry into his mind any further; she had seen enough to make her feel sick and she needed to keep cool now that finally the door opened.

She slipped into the glass cage.

Loki stopped pacing and stared at her. There was a mixture of contempt and amusement in his eyes.

"Hi, I'm Raven." She introduced herself casually as she removed the muzzle from his mouth.

"I'm not overly fond of ravens... " he rasped, his voice rough from many days of disuse, as he smiled sardonically at her. "Huginn and Muninn... Odin's eyes and ears... "

"Ironically, I'm not a bird person either. So glad we found better ways of communication than sending owls-"

Apparently that wasn't very funny because he turned around and retched, chucking up a lump of dried blood.

Although it made no sense to ask him if he was alright, she did so anyway. She didn't expect to get a reply.

"I need a bottle of water!" Raven called out as she knelt down next to Loki who had crouched down on the floor. With her back to the agents outside, she let her wand slip into her hand in order to cast a quick _Revelio Sanguis _The spell worked like Luminol, it revealed traces of blood that were otherwise not visible to the eye- and there were a lot of traces, perfunctorily washed away with water. It proved her suspicion was right.

"Would someone please be so kind to get me a fucking bottle of water? Please. Now."

Reluctantly, her wish was finally being granted. It was the archer who rolled a plastic bottle into the cage without letting go of his bow that was still aimed at Loki.

"Don't let him fool you. He doesn't really need to drink. He's a monster, a murderer-"

"Ah, and you are?"

"Barton. Agent Barton."

He had missed the blatant suggestiveness of her question but it was good to know your enemies. In this freak show, the spectators were the real monsters. Clearly that guy had blood on his hands.

"What have you done to piss him off that much?" She asked Loki who was now sitting on the floor with his back against the glass of the cage. He looked amused.

"I've expanded his mind."

"Obviously not enough because he's quite narrow-minded."

Loki smirked. "My influence on him ceased abruptly due to cognitive recalibration. He was very useful. He told me everything I wanted to know."

"So, kind of an Imperius Curse?" Raven wondered aloud as she handed him the bottle of water and told him to drink slowly. But even a god or a demigod of Norse mythology can act unreasonably if he hadn't been allowed to drink for- however long. She was certain no one at S.H.I.E.L.D had bothered to remove that damned muzzle to give him food or drink.

He coughed a great amount of water up again, shaking his head at his own folly.

"That's why I told you to drink slowly." Raven reminded him in a soft tone.

"So, Imperius- is that what you mortals call it?"

"It's one of the three Unforgivable Curses. Although I doubt Barton knows it he seem to take it literal." She thought it wise to cast a non-verbal Muffliato Charm so that the agents outside of the cage could not overhear them. Of course, there were still the surveillance cameras following their every movement but there would only be a unidentifiable buzzing on the audio track and they would be busy with debugging...

"I didn't force him to act in a way that's not natural to him; I merely used the resources he provided and altered his top priority."

"Let me guess- you made your own needs his top priority?"

Loki smiled and took another sip of water. Raven chuckled at the way he feigned innocence. It was hard to believe he was a mass murderer when he looked like a mischievous boy whose prank had blown up in his own face.

"As much as I enjoy our little talk- and I would even offer you a seat if there were one- but is Fury really that unimaginative? Does he believe beating me up will turn me into a forgetful imbecile so that another pretty face can pretend to be my friend? This is so predictable. Pathetic. He has to try harder to make me long for a balm."

Raven was surprised by his sudden mood swing, and she had no clue what he was talking about now. "I... I would prefer if he does not try harder. I don't know much about Fury; I only met him today. He approached me with an assignment but he doesn't yet know I never accepted the conditions. I am not working for S.H.I.E.L.D."

"So what's your bargain, little witch?"

"Bargain?" She arched a brow at him. "Well, that was never my intention. I simply don't like it when Muggles come up with the weird idea they can decide if someone is allowed to perform magic, only because they don't know anything about it, and they fear what they don't know or can't explain in a scientific way." She remembered the experiments at Quantico and shuddered. "Also, I don't accept torture- I think the way a prisoner is being treated tells a lot about the people who hold him captive, and the way they treat you is so clearly a violation of the human rights-"

Loki cut her off with a bitter bark of laughter. "_Human_ rights? I'm aGOD, you silly witch."

"Well, sorry, but I'm not overly religious. You may be a god, but with your magic bound you're just a punching bag for guys like Barton who vents his frustration on you. You bleed. You hurt. Your bones break. You need food and you need drink. All of that makes you very human in my eyes, and I think you suffered enough- even if Barton calls you a monster and a murderer. I don't think he's any better."

"Are you?"

She took her time to ponder his question, then she shrugged. "I don't know. At least I never gloried in the pain of others. That doesn't mean, though, that I never enjoyed being a bitch. I don't have very high moral standards, but I don't kill unless it's absolutely necessary. And- as I mentioned before- I don't accept torture..."

… _for I have seen the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse too many times, crying tears of blood..._

Raven reached out to touch Loki's arm in a placatory gesture, but she gasped when her fingers seemed to fall through his glamour until the image of a still somehow healthy-looking demigod faded to reveal how very bedraggled he really was, all skin and bones... so many broken bones... a deathly pale, haunted face with dark circles around green eyes... drops of sweat running down his forehead while he was panting, trying to still the pain...

He slapped at her fingers as he withdrew his arm from her touch, chains rattling.

"I don't need your pity!" He lashed out viciously.

"It's not pity I offer," Raven said unfazed by the sharp tone of his voice because it sounded all too familiar to her. Severus had been just like that when they were younger, and yet she had endured his outbursts of rage in hope for... well, he was still her best friend and the best husband possible... "What's wrong with compassion and sympathy?"

"Sentiments!" Loki scoffed. "Childish needs."

"Do you want to get out of this cage or is that just another childish need?"

"What?" His eyes widened in disbelief at what Raven just proposed to him. Or hadn't she? He eyed her with curious interest. "Please, go on and tell me all about your marvellous plan to release me from the hospitality of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Well, I still have to work on some details. Let me surprise you tomorrow. Deal?"

He smirked. "What do you want in return?"

"Tell me something about the bonds to satisfy Fury."

"The prisoner was cooperative after I gave him some water. You know, sometimes it can't hurt to be kind."

"He threatened our world with war, he and his allies almost destroyed Manhattan, he killed one of my best men- surely you don't expect us to coddle him."

Raven shook her head but refrained from explaining Fury the difference between coddling and treating someone decently.

"You said he was cooperative- what did you learn?" Fury pressed on. He wanted results and he was slowly losing patience.

"It's about runes. They bind his magic. It's not the metal, which is good because I know nothing about metal from other worlds."

"But you know about runes?"

"Yes." Raven smiled at him; she used to be good at Ancient Runes when she was at school... some thirty plus years ago. Was there a difference to Asgardian runes? It didn't matter anyway and Fury didn't have to know that. "I will have to check on some more details in my library-"

Fury's upper lip twitched a tad, perhaps he thought books were outdated in the glorious days of computers and the internet, and she decided it couldn't harm to let him believe she was just as old-fashioned as the traditionalists.

"-yeah, that's what we do, poring over dusty old tomes. I will be able to tell you more tomorrow, but I might have to talk to the prisoner again. My final report will be ready the day after tomorrow. Then you will know with absolute certainty if the bonds were meant to bind his magic eternally, and you can send him back to Asgard with Thor-" Raven paused to frown and she rubbed her temples as if she had forgotten something- "Ah, speaking of Thor... do you think there may be a chance for me to talk to him? He may be able to provide me with further information."

Fury pondered her question briefly, then he said. "I will arrange a meeting. But I must warn you. Despite all that Loki did, Thor still considers him his brother and he tends to be quite... rash. Don't give him the impression that Loki is not being treated the way he deserves."

"I understand. You're probably more capable in judging that than I am." Raven lied smoothly and wished she could simply curse him to give him a taste of his own _hospitality._

ooOoo

Loki pretended there was nothing more interesting in this world than the bottle of water he was holding in his hands; it was truly amazing how something as pure and simple could please him so much. With each drop that trickled down his throat it was hurting less, and the taste held the promise of silver linings... which was a ridiculous notion, of course, but one fuelled with the hope of not being left to rot in this cage.

All the while he was listening closely to the conversation between Fury and the witch. She may not look like it but she was a devious one, lying ever so smoothly to either him or Fury, He rather preferred it to be Fury. Captivity was not his favourite past time and he wasn't a great fan of pain, either.

Figuring out the Avengers, how they ticked and what would set them off, had been easy game thanks to Barton's knowledge. The witch, however, was totally unknown quantity. Until today, he hadn't even known that magic still existed on Midgard.

_Make a note to find out more about the realm next time you're trying to conquer one..._

Alas, there'd been no time to come up with a good plan. There'd just been the Void, the Chitauri... and rage... which was never a wise counsellor. Anger could be cathartic but apparently that didn't work for him. He had more enemies than he could counts and no matter what the intentions of the witch were, she at least had not met him with hatred, disgust or prejudices.

Unobtrusive at first glance- so unlike Agent Romanoff with her fiery red curls and delicious curves- there was more to her than met the eye.

The Black Widow's ledger was dripping; it was gushing red.

_Can you wipe out that much red?_

_You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you and they will never go away._

The witch had her own code, too. Unfortunately, Loki was still far from having figured her out, didn't know how questionable her morality was or if he could manipulate her sympathy with his silver tongue and persuade her to free him, even if that had never been her intention.

He recalled her ridiculously blue eyes telling him to _trust_ her.

Like love, trust was a for children.

Pathetic.

Trust was a fickle thing that dissolves into thin air when being trustful slaps you hard in the face and tosses you into an abyss...

_No Loki._

Then, there was the Void and the Chitauri and his need to come up with a bait. In retrospect, it was an idiotic plan to free the world from freedom because actually, he quite liked freedom. _Isn't it ironic how you take these little things for granted and only miss them when they're taken from you? Like water and freedom..._

The witch was looking at him; he could almost feel her eyes resting on him. She was leaving.

'_See you tomorrow, Loki._' She said but these words never left her smiling lips, they were merely ringing in his head.

He smirked, acknowledging her skills in non-verbal communication, and he would have loved to have a lengthy conversation with her, cracking jokes about guys wearing eye-patches- right under Fury's one eye. _Gods, I miss my magic.._

ooOoo

It was futile to mull over decisions long made, or to question your own sanity after kicking the one stone off that would turn into an avalanche. _What have I gotten into now?_ Raven wondered.

Of course, it was not too late for her to change her mind. She could still call Fury and say, 'sorry, I'm the wrong person, I can't help you.' She could forget about Loki- after all, she had no obligations towards him and, let's face it, he had tried to subjugate her world, had wreaked havoc in Manhattan... there was no way to justify what he'd done.

Well, but torture was no solution either. It won't stop crime and it will never bring back the beloved ones that died; it only caused unnecessary suffering. And that was exactly the point why she could not forget about Loki. She could not turn a blind eye to the fact that they would proceed to torture him just to find out how much it would take to break a demigod.

Raven would not let that happen. But humanity was only one reason; the other and probably her main motivation was less noble. She simply didn't like Fury. His request was presumptuous, even if he pretended it was for the safety of earth.

Raven met Thor in a small café (Agent Hill led the way) He looked exactly the way she had expected, given the pictures she'd seen on TV. Tall, blonde, muscular- a warrior from another world, and so very out of place in this small café. Of course, people recognized him- who wouldn't? He was the only guy in New York who'd take a large hammer on his date with the lovely Jane Foster- so he scribbled autographs and allowed his fans to take pictures of him. When he wasn't busy satisfying his status of a celebrity, he gazed star-crossed into Jane's brown eyes.

_Aww... the sweetness of puppy-eyed love... _

"Lady Maria!" Thor got up to greet Agent Hill, who merely nodded her acknowledgement and introduced Raven to him. They didn't like to waste time, these agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Agent Snape has a few questions concerning Loki-"

"What's with Loki?" The god of thunder had a really thunderous voice that peaked at the name of his brother, and it seemed he was always expecting the worst when Loki was mentioned.

"Loki's just fine." Raven lied. She didn't doubt Thor would march straight into S.H.I.E.L.D central and smash the glass cage with his hammer to free Loki, if he'd have the slightest notion of how S.H.I.E.L.D treated his brother. But nothing would be gained by that. Thor would take Loki back to Asgard where he'd have to face Asgardian justice, and Raven wasn't certain what that would do to him.

Meanwhile, Agent Hill and a guy sitting in the corner of the café, wearing sunglasses, reading a magazine (never trust a guy wearing sunglasses in a café) had cleared the place of all its clients in order to grant them more privacy.

The owner of the café looked crestfallen, so Raven ordered a coffee to cheer him up. Black. No sugar. The company of Thor and Jane was saccharine enough.

"You saw Loki? May I request the reason of your visit?"

Thor was so easy to figure out. He was everything that Loki wasn't. Straight-forward, righteous, credulous, kind-hearted, but also brawny and rash, and so very... _Gryffindor-ish._

He looked slightly ashamed for having left Loki in the custody of S.H.I.E.L.D so he could spend a couple of days with his lovely Jane. _Well, he should be..._

"S.H.I.E.L.D asked me for an investigative analysis to determine the psychological aspects of his character-"

"Have a care how you speak. Loki is not a psycho. He may be beyond reason but he's still my brother- well, he's adopted."

"Now that explains a lot..." Raven mumbled. "No offence meant, but Fury worries and I'm only trying to do my job."

"I take it you're a profiler?" Jane asked.

"Sort of. Let's say I'm well versed in quite a few aspects of criminal investigation and forensic science, and criminal psychology is just one one them." It wasn't even a lie. While working for the FBI Raven had taken courses in criminal profiling and investigative analysis only to come to the conclusion that psychology was much too theoretical for a skilled Legilimens.

"You said S.H.I.E.L.D asked you- does that mean you're not usually working for them? And if so, who are you working for? FBI? CIA? NSA?"

"WIIA." Raven replied with a smile since Jane seemed to like abbreviations.

"I don't know that," Jane admitted to Thor.

"We're a small, non-governmental agency for information and investigation." Raven left out the wizarding part because she was not in the mood to explain magic to a scientist. Jane Foster was an astrophysicist, Agent Hill had told her.

Thor shrugged. "So what do you want to know about Loki? He's safe where he is. Odin's bonds will prevent him from doing any tricks."

_Tricks? Is that how he contemplates magic? _It had been a wise decision not to tell Thor she was a witch. Probably he'd just grow suspicious of her, or expect her to be hand in glove with Loki... which wasn't even that far-fetched, come to think of it.

However, that meant she had to change her strategy. She could not produce her wand and extract memories from Thor as she had planned.

"Just tell me something about him. Was it always his career aspiration to domineer over our world?"

"Loki desires a throne- any throne- because he envies me and imagines he was always living in my shadow. He seems to have forgotten the good times we shared. Sometimes, I miss my little brother and wish there is still something left of him. I don't even know when his envy turned to hatred... on the day of my coronation he told me to never doubt he loves me as a brother and a friend..."

Raven could see the memory on the surface of his mind and tried to memorize it for later use. She didn't really listen to his words after that but delved further into his mind instead. There she could see more memories, some clear, some blurred. They were not as vibrant as extracted ones but they would suffice.

Then, there was only one more question left.

"You mentioned Loki was adopted. When did he find out?"

"About a year ago." Thor replied.

"And you all lied to him for how many years exactly?"

"Our parents kept the truth from him because they didn't want him to feel any different."

Raven fought the urge to bang her head on the table. Damn, these Asgardians were basically mythology, they lived hundreds or thousands of years, and she could very well imagine that having been lied to for centuries was enough to drive even the sanest man mad with rage.

"However that's no reason to leave a trail of chaos and destruction in his wake." Thor continued, and now Raven wanted to punch him instead of hurting herself, but sadly, you just can't punch someone as strong as a mountain and hope he'll crumble.

With gritted teeth, she thanked Thor for the information and managed to mumble a somewhat polite goodbye before she took her leave through the backdoor. In the dingy little yard behind the café she lit a cigarette, inhaled greedily, and glanced around. Apparently, there were no agents of S.H.I.E.L.D observing this area which made it safe for her to Disapparate.

OoOoo

A moment later, Raven was at WIIA headquarters and walked straight into Alice Steel's office.

"Al, I need your help."

"Knock, knock, please come in dear Raven," the old Auror said teasingly but when she saw the look on Raven's face she frowned. "S.H.I.E.L.D?"

Not beating about the bush, Raven came straight to the point. "Fury introduced me to a prisoner of S.H.I.E.L.D, a guy called Loki. He initiated the alien attack, but he's not really evil. Now, he's helpless, his magic is being bound, and the noble agents of S.H.I.E.L.D use him as a punching bag to vent their wrath on because he killed one of theirs. Fury would love to kill him off, too, had he not promised Thor that Loki would come to face Asgardian justice- did I mention they're some kind of gods from Norse mythology?"

"Is this tale getting any weirder?" Alice deadpanned.

"Oh, the best is yet to come. Fury had the nerve to ask me for ways to not only bind magic but to take it from Loki-"

"That evil son of a bitch!"

"Exactly."

"Oh no." Alice groaned, knowing Raven long and well enough to guess what was coming next. "Don't give me that look, lass. You can't possibly mean to-"

"He needs help."

"He's from Asgard. Let this own people help him. He's not our responsibility."

"He's a wizard in need; his magic is being threatened- therefore he is our responsibility."

"Raven..."

"No, don't Raven me. He's in danger of becoming really dangerous, but he's not evil. Not yet. Push him just one step closer and he will fall."

"Is he, by chance, tall, dark-haired and not entirely unattractive; and does he remind you of your dear husband when he was younger?"

"He's lonely and damaged and hurting and yes." Raven frowned at her. _Never underestimate Al_. "How do you know?"

Alice smirked ever so slightly as she turned around one of her computer screens for Raven to watch the video of an elegantly clad man walking down the staircase of a building that could have been a museum or a theatre, every step so full of grace and energy-

Loki.

"Ah, so that's how he looks like when not being beaten to pulp and almost every bone in his body is broken, and he cannot heal because his magic is bound." She said sarcastically.

"Now, don't give me that, Raven."

Raven closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Al. It's just... I'm so fucking upset."

"And I'm slowly beginning to see the reason why..." Alice mumbled almost inaudibly as she glanced at another screen and decided that Raven didn't want to see that.

"How did you come by that footage anyway?"

"Lass, do you think I'm a lazy old cow who sends her best agent to an unknown assignment for a questionable organisation such as S.H.I.E.L.D without checking on them? Do I really have to mention that I asked Rocco to hack into their computer system for more information the very moment Fury called? As it seems, he finally succeeded."

_"Did you ever doubt that, lovely Alice?" _A dark, smooth voice came from out of nowhere. "_And hello Raven, my sunshine."_

"You know that sunshine gets you killed, don't you?"

The voice chuckled, then Rocco's face appeared on the screen in front of her, baring some very sharp, pointed teeth as he smiled.

Rocco was the WIIA's computer genius and probably the weirdest, most eccentric guy Raven had ever met. His face was so pale it stood in stark contrast to his khol-rimmed eyes and it was framed by curtains of long, straight, purple hair. He looked just like a teenage Goth, but in fact he died when he was a teen Goth with a fatal fascination for graveyards and creatures of the night. Now he was a vampire; thanks to the one who had bitten him that fateful night in late eighties.

Eagerly, he satisfied all the clichés expected of both a Goth and a vampire. He actually slept in a coffin; he would wear only dark, preferably black and billowing clothes; he listened to gloomy music... but he couldn't kill to save his own life. Thanks to the glorious days of computers, he didn't even have to as long as he had free access to the internet and therefore to all blood banks in the whole wide world.

_"That's why you're my sunshine, dearest Raven. Although, I have to admit I'm quite shocked by that _thing_ you're wearing."_

"That _thing_ is called a formal dress suit. Al wanted me to look businesslike when meeting with Fury."

"Now don't blame it on me, lass. I merely asked for professional appearance, not for a frustrated secretary."

"At least I kept up an unobtrusive appearance." Raven countered as she ran her fingers through her hair to make it come loose, soon falling in soft black waves around her shoulders, and she sighed with relief when at least that tension ceased.

_"Much better!"_ Rocco remarked while his long nails (polished in black and purple) were typing at an absurd speed - considering the length of them.

"Hey ho, hold on, sharp tooth. Don't go digging to deeply into S.H.I.E.L.D's system!" Raven exclaimed, suddenly alarmed. "If we want to free Loki- and I guess we agreed on that already- we have to keep a low profile. We don't need to know their darkest secrets, right? Just give me everything you have about him, all the footage S.H.I.E.L.D saved on their servers, plus all the recent stuff of their surveillance cameras. I need to know if there are always guards in that room with the cage; I need to know all about their shift schedule- things like that."

Rocco pouted. _"That's not half as much fun..."_

"Be a good boy, Raven is right." Alice said before addressing Raven. "Have you given Fury a sensible reason for visiting again, or do you have to break into S.H.I.E.L.D Central?"

"I told him I'd do some research about the runes that bind Loki's magic and come back tomorrow."

"Very well, that grants us the time we need to figure out what to do. Rocco, send Raven all the footage about Loki; and lass, you watch it and then you decide if he's really worth saving. If you're still set in your belief it's the right thing we'll go into details tomorrow morning."

With that Raven was being dismissed.

ooOoo

"Do I have to worry, love? Instead of joining me in bed you prefer to spend the night watching this handsome fellow."

"I'm sorry, Sev." She turned around to give him a kiss, "but this is a tricky case."

"You told me that much already."

He glanced at the holograms hovering in midair, some of them true-to-life, some slightly blurred, but they all showed the very same face.

"So that's Loki?"

Raven nodded.

There were holographic projections of memories and video footage all over the room. The days of staring head down into a Pensieve were long gone. Modern technology had gone hand in hand with a more modern approach to magic and ways to combine both, resulting in what Severus was seeing now.

He handed her a glass of wine, then he pointed at the slightly blurred images.

"Are those the ones you got from Thor?"

"Unbeknownst to him, yes. I know it's rude to pry about it someone's mind and steal copies of memories, but I couldn't ask him to give them to me or wave my wand at his face when he doesn't seem to like magic."

Raven enlarged a scene and replayed it. Thor said, _'...some do battle, others just do tricks...'_

"Is that the common attitude in Asgard?"

"It appears to be a realm of fierce warriors."

Severus sneered at that.

"I see you're already warming up to Loki, eh?" His wife remarked.

"Well, I know what's it like being scorned." Severus picked another of the images and studied it, then he played the video material of Loki's arrival on earth (courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D), contemplating both lost in thought. "It's hard to believe that's one and the same person."

"As far as I understood, there's about a year between them, a year in which he seemed to have disappeared- Thor didn't elaborate on that- and then he just arrived from another dimension of space. Perhaps travelling such distance is quite trying." Raven assumed.

"He _disappeared_?"

"I will find out about that as soon as he's safe."

"Wherever he was and whatever happened to him, it almost killed him. He's haggard, disorientated and did you notice the mad, haunted expression on his face?" Severus continued watching the video footage and shuddered at the idea that S.H.I.E.L.D had unlimited access to all the satellites and surveillance cameras in the world; they could spy on everyone, everywhere. He made a mental note to check on his wards again, although he had already made his home unplottable to Muggle technology.

"Loki's plan for world domination is absurd; I'm surprised he didn't realize that because he seems to be an intelligent guy. I'm wondering if he really wanted to rule this world or if it was just a crazy idea to get away from where he was before. Anyway, it got him out of the frying pan and into the fire."

_'This doesn't have to get any messier.' _

_'I've come too far for anything else.' _

Raven recalled a conversation between Fury and Loki which seemed to support her husband's train of thoughts.

"Do you think I'm a fool for wanting to help him?" She asked softly. "I mean, after all he's done- he killed, he sort of _Imperiused_ others to do his biddings- and still, knowing all that, I can only see the battered and bruised man who sorely needs a friend."

Severus smiled at her. "I think you're a fool for sitting up all night, trying to find a reason why you want to help him, when you already made up your mind. Come to bed with me."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It had been a particularly bad night for Loki. For the better part of the morning he drifted in and out of consciousness, wishing he'd kept his bloody mouth shut. But it had been so tempting to taunt his aggressors, now that the muzzle was gone. Finally he could laugh in Barton's face, laugh at his unrequited love for Agent Romanoff... he shouldn't have said that, shouldn't have laughed at their poor attempts to break a god. Fact was, he was not immortal. And humans were very innovative when it came to causing pain. They also had very creative ways of using electricity which gave him a totally new sensation and the word _pain_ a new dimension. It didn't even leave nasty marks like bruises or broken bones, no ugly stains of blood on the floor.

He had tried not to scream. Had not wanted to give them that satisfaction...

_"You will beg me to stop!"_

_Loki was on the floor, panting. Barton grabbed a fistful of his hair to pull him up until he was actually kneeling in front of the agent._

_"Now that's better, isn't it? You're freed of freedom and get a fair share of your own mad ideas. Monster!" Barton spat at him, then the heel of his boot crashed hard on his right hand, breaking all the bones..._

Eventually, in the course of the night, he had screamed. His throat was raw and he wondered if he would survive another night. But he wouldn't beg.

His hand had swollen to twice its usual size, looking like an unidentifiable lump of bloodied flesh, and the handcuff had gotten tighter, cutting into his skin to increase the pain.

He had long given up pretending he was alright, couldn't even think of pacing his cage with an air of boredom. But he kept up his glamour, that last streak of magic left to him. At least they wouldn't get to see how very, very close to breaking a god they really were.

His sense of time had long left him. In the bright light of his prison day and night were all the same, and he only knew it was night when the torture started. His tormentors seemed to care for keeping up a daily routine.

_Does Fury know?_ Loki wondered briefly. After all, he had promised Thor- but Thor had never come back, and as much as he didn't miss his not brother, he would have loved to know what kept him. Sweet Jane? Or had Thor returned to Asgard, leaving him at the mercy of S.H.I.E.L.D until the end of his miserable life?

But no, the Tesseract was still here. Loki could feel its power radiating... and with that came a very awkward memory...

_If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you. You think you know pain? He will make you will long for something as sweet as pain._

Damn. So perhaps dying from Barton's torture was an agreeable option. But wait. There was- what? Hope? Dazed by pain he let out a bitter bark of laughter as he tried to grasp the fleeting memory of a mortal witch and her promise to get him out of here.

It must have been a dream, a silly illusion, because- and let's be honest, for once- who in a sane state of mind could possibly want to set him free? He was a fool if he relied on such a promise, and besides, the witch had not showed up yet, nor would she ever come.

He blacked out again.

The next time he regained consciousness, Loki was staring into a pair of blue eyes.

So the witch had returned, at least.

"You look like death warmed over," she said quietly.

"Thank you." Loki managed a smirk and couldn't help but notice the irony of her kneeling before him. Not quite like he had imagined it to be. He was not a ruler here but the god of blood and piss and bile- that rather ruined the moment.

She was upset, her eyes turned ice cold with silent rage. He knew that glance, usually he was at the receiving end of it but not today. Her rage was directed at his tormentors, and her rage was remarkable which made her quite attractive.

_Now would be a good time to beg, to appeal to her mercy, put on an innocent look..._

"Please..." he whispered.

"Don't." The witch said as she took his good hand in hers, clandestinely slipping something into his palm and closing his fingers over it. "Just don''t." She produced another bottle of water and made him drink a few sips before she placed in on the floor, easy for him to reach. "I told you I'd come back. I also told you I'll get you out of here, and I'm a woman who stands by her promises. No need to beg, right? I... I just wished I could do more, now. But Fury is not to become suspicious.

"I gave you a Portkey."

"A Portkey?" Loki fingered the small object in his hand. "It feels vaguely like the plastic cap of a water bottle."

"It _is_ the plastic cap of a water bottle, turned into a Portkey, and it will activate at 10:03 PM precisely. Just keep it in your hand; it will take you to a safe place."

ooOoo

Raven was enraged and anxious for the rest of the day. She could not get the image of Loki so badly abused out of her mind, and it bugged her tremendously that there'd been nothing she could have done to ease his pain. Simply because she was not to care about him if she didn't want to arouse suspicion, and S.H.I.E.L.D was an organisation too powerful to mess with.

So she had to fight her urge to grab Loki and Disapparate with him. After all, it wasn't only his fate- or hers- that was on stake if she risked a dangerous game, but also that of everyone else involved. Alice, Rocco, all at WIIA... even Severus. That price was too high to pay for a half-baked, rash deed.

Patience was not her greatest virtue, nevertheless she'd come to accept the necessity of it.

There had been only one thing she'd been able to do for Loki, a simple spell to clean him up, to give him at least that much dignity. She would never understand people who enjoyed to torture and humiliate others in order to compensate for their own frustration.

Her own moral codex was- to put it mildly- flexible. She had never considered herself to be made of the same material as the noble and righteous goody two shoes of this worlds. She would lie and cheat, use tricks and cunning to get her way, but there were lines you simply did not cross. Like kicking the wounded on the ground, betraying friends, or lying to lovers. And torturing a helpless prisoner was absolutely inexcusable.

In order to keep calm and patient, Raven started typing a lengthy, pseudo-scientific report about runes and magic for Fury; she really like to keep to her promises even if they were just for pretence.

When Severus came home from work, they went to have dinner at their favourite Japanese restaurant... it was also part of the plan meticulously though-out by Alice and Rocco to give Raven an alibi. She couldn't eat Sushi with her husband and at the same time prepare to spring Loki from his cage at S.H.I.E.L.D Central in another part of the town. Fortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D didn't know much about magic.

Of course, they would suspect her. They would come to question her... later. And she would feign innocence.

Raven paid with her credit card. The voucher said the transaction was made at 9:54 pm. It was a five minute walk from the restaurant back to where they lived. The concierge would later say they entered the building at 10 o'clock precisely. Then it took about two minutes to get into their private elevator, ride up to the 60th floor and unlock the door.

One minute later, Loki arrived out of thin air, screaming in agony. His hand holding the Portkey was on fire. Nevertheless he managed a somehow gracious landing. He let go off the Portkey and the flames ceased.

"Good evening." Loki cracked a smile at Raven and Severus, then he collapsed on the floor, panting heavily.

"We have to remove the bonds immediately." Raven said alarmed as she noticed the angry red blisters on his hands and neck, and she smelled the sickening stench of burnt flesh.

"Wonderful idea." Loki agreed.

"Can we just take them off or is there anything to consider?" Severus asked matter-of-factly.

"Just try not to use any more magic on me... unless you want to fry me."

"Agreed." With skilful fingers, Severus opened the handcuffs. It was quite easy, actually. He gave the runes engraved in the metal a disgusted glance.

The chains were ratting as Raven worked on the collar, fumbling with a more complicated fastening mechanism. Finally, she succeeded.

Loki heaved a deep sigh of relief. You could almost see the magic flooding back to him, shrouding him in a glittering aura of gold and green, emitting sparks. But it happened too fast; it was too much. It almost consumed him

When limbs go numb, it's all needles and pins afterwards. When magic was turned numb, it was much, much worse. It was like glowing daggers and wildfire raging in your veins, and the air was crackling with unintentional outbreaks of magical energy. Loki was screaming again, feeling like he was being torn apart.

Severus reacted immediately. He aimed his wand at the Asgardian and tried to channel the wild energy by making it explode in a bright beam of light that crashed through the terrace door and fulminated outside.

"Are we redecorating, darling?" Raven commented dryly on the shattered glass that came lashing down in their living room.

ooOoo

Loki rolled on his back and started laughing.

He was already feeling better. Not good enough to come up with another plan for world domination- now, that could wait, and he wasn't even that keen on a throne at the moment... sometimes, it was the small things that mattered, and finally being able to heal sounded so much better than a mad struggle for power.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. May I help you to your room?" The dark haired wizard offered him a helping hand but was patient enough to wait until Loki managed to sit up himself, sorting his legs. He was still very weak. And much too proud to show it.

Meanwhile, the witch was cleaning up. It didn't take her long to repair the broken window. At her command, all the shattered pieces of glass assembled in midair to form a new pane. Loki stopped in his struggle to get to his feet, watching her. Although those mortals needed a wand to perform magic, it was more advanced and powerful than he had expected.

Then the wizard led him down a short corridor and opened a door to his right. Loki was almost surprised by not getting tossed into yet another glass cage, the only form of accommodation ever granted to him since his arrival on earth. Instead, he entered a cosy room with white walls, a wooden floor, and furniture made of dark wood. By the window, overlooking the nightly skyline of the city, stood an armchair of golden brown velvet stood next to a small table, but most inviting was the bed with its clean white sheets.

He couldn't remember when he'd last slept in a bed. Almost tentatively he sat down.

"I know, you will probably heal all by yourself. Eventually." The wizard's voice was calm, dark and pleasant. "But the bones of your hand are so badly broken they should be set."

Loki stared at his right hand, still swollen and hurting; a pathetic lump of flesh and shattered bones. The left one didn't look much better. Burned skin and painful blisters. He heaved a sigh; he had always liked his hands, and although he could feel the magic running through his veins like wildfire, it wasn't yet reliable enough to accomplish such a delicate task.

"Are you a healer?" He asked sceptically.

"I'm versed in the art of healing since I completed the healer training program, but I'm a potion's master. In my lab, I don't have to bother with idiots and their self-inflicted injuries caused by inaccurate spells or asinine jinxes." The wizard conjured up a phials out of thin air; it contained a painkiller as he explained. "It will hurt to set your bones-"

Loki snatched the phial out of the wizard's hand. Pride was tremendously overrated when you're sick and tired of pain, so he emptied it in a single gulp.

"I like sensible people. It's stupid to pretend you don't fear pain, because wise people will always choose to avoid it- By the way, I'm Severus, Raven's husband."

"Loki. Guess you knew that already."

"Just Loki, eh? Not burdened with glorious purpose this time?" Severus arched a dark brow at him, slightly amused but with no intention to mock him.

"I'm on vacation. Too many burdens." He offered Severus a winning smile and hoped the wizard wouldn't make the procedure more painful than necessary because he had tried to conquer his world. But the wizard's hand were gentle, trying not to hurt him even though it did hurt. Waves of pain were running through his fingers with every bone Severus set straight, mostly using his wand to do so.

Loki tried not to wince. "Where I come from, only old, toothless women sit over simmering cauldrons and brew potions that are as ineffective as yours."

Severus paused to glare at him, and Loki noticed that the wizard's eyes were as black as the deepest, darkest ponds he'd ever seen. And yet, they weren't cold. There was some warmth in them- but one that came with a fair warning to not mess with him.

"Are you displeased with my work?"

"No." Loki said quickly. "Just trying to make conversation."

"Good. Because if my potion were as ineffective as you claim, you wouldn't be able to try and make conversation."

"You're not really good with patients, are you?"

"That's why I'm a potioneer, remember? And before you mock me for my poor choice of career, may I mention that your hand doesn't look like that of a fierce warrior to me? Of course, it's hardly recognizable as a hand at the moment, but after it has healed it will be as slender as my own. Am I right?" Severus didn't wait for his response but continued. "Where you come from, you're an outsider, a misfit. You're too smug for your own good, and yet you seem to be rather intelligent. Given the choice, you'd rather spend your time in the library, seeking knowledge, instead of wasting time on the battleground. Unfortunately, you tend to make the wrong decisions-"

"You think you've figured me out?"

"Indeed. Because I wasn't much different when I was younger. I was the nerd, the loner, always striving for recognition and just one step away from doing something incredibly stupid."

"What happened then?" Loki wasn't really interested in hearing his story, but anything distracting him from the pain of setting bones was welcome.

"Raven."

_Oh please not a sentimental love story now._

But the wizard's eyes weren't welling over with emotions, they remained focussed on the task. "She changed my life for the better, and apparently, she sees something in you that's worth saving, too. You may mock her sentiments and even call them pathetic, but don't be a fool and scoff at what she has to offer."

Loki glanced at him expectantly, waiting for a warning or a threat to come. _Something like, if you harm my wife I'll kill you. _But none of that ever came. Severus had said what he wanted to say.

"You don't agree with her, though?" He didn't really care how Severus considered him and yet it would be nice to know he had not made another enemy.

"My opinion of you is irrelevant. I trust in my wife's judgement because working in criminal investigation for the last thirty years gave her a great knowledge of the human nature. You can't fool her so don't even try."

"I'll keep that in mind." Loki promised, and he actually meant it. At the moment, he simply couldn't _afford_ to make any more enemies, so it was about time to make some allies... preferably friendlier allies than the Chitauri...

ooOoo

"Sev, are you done here?" Raven appeared at the door of the guest room, glancing at the two men. Both were tall and slender, dark-haired and pale. They looked more like brothers than Loki and Thor.

The Asgardian was lying on the bed, propped up by some pillows in his back. He seemed to be exhausted, pearls of perspiration were running down his forehead, but he still managed to smile at her. The broken hand was resting on his chest; it already looked so much better.

"Almost." Severus replied as he applied a burn-healing salve on Loki's wrists and on his left hand.

"We're already becoming friends." Loki said with a grin, to which Severus rolled his eyes as he glanced at Raven.

She chuckled and entered the room, carrying a tray that she placed on the bedside table. On it was a pitcher with water, a glass and a bowl of steaming hot broth that smelled deliciously of beef and fresh spices. Loki raised his head and sniffed; his stomach was grumbling audibly.

"You must be starving. I guess S.H.I.E.L.D failed to provide you with decent food?" The hungry expression on his face told Raven that he might not have eaten for longer than his stay at S.H.I.E.L.D Central. "Well, try to eat slowly. Can you handle it on your own?"

Loki lifted his left hand and stared at it, flexing his fingers. It was still a bit red but more like from sunburn and not as if it had been on flames. The blisters were all gone.

"Good." Raven gave a satisfied nod. He was really healing fast but she also had to give some credit to Severus' burn-healing salve. He would be okay. "We'll leave you now. Stay in your room and please remain quiet. We're expecting visitors from S.H.I.E.L.D."

Loki's eyes widened. She could still see the horrors of last night in them, the steel-capped boot crushing the bones of his hand... Raven wasn't a vengeful person but she couldn't guarantee for Barton's safety should he dare to show up here.

"Don't worry. You're safe here." Raven promised him before she left the room with Severus, closing the door behind her.

They went to their living room where Raven had already set the scene. The pillows on the sofa were in a comfortable disarray, on the table stood a half-full bottle of red wine and filled two glasses. Candles were burning and the TV was on. It looked as if a happily married couple was enjoying a homey evening together. Nothing reminded of Loki's arrival here. The collar and the handcuffs were hidden in her study, the window pane was repaired, and the floor was thoroughly cleaned of blood.

"Well done." Severus nodded approvingly before he sat down on the sofa, drinking a sip of wine.

"Well, I know how crime scenes look like; I can easily arrange the opposite." She smiled and clinked glasses with him. "So... you and Loki are becoming friends?"

Severus let out an exasperated groan and downed his wine. "That guy is impossible. He's an insufferable nag, the pain of my existence... but it's hard to not like him when he gives you that smile of innocence mingled with mischief. He's damn good at manipulating people." He ran his fingers through his hair, glancing at his wife. "Although I know you can handle him, the idea of leaving for Kathmandu tomorrow evening doesn't sit well with me." He took her hands in his. "But I have faith in you, and I know he needs your help even if he himself is still unaware of this. Just promise me to be cautious."

"I will be. You know me." Raven leaned in closed and kissed him, and for a few moments they both forgot about the world around them. Until the doorbell was ringing.

Raven broke the kiss and glanced at her watch. It was one minute past eleven. S.H.I.E.L.D had needed less than an hour to come to her place.

She exchanged glances with Severus, then she rose to open the door.

"Who's there?" She asked. The shuffling of feet outside told her that there were at least three people, and they were already right in front of her door, which meant they must have managed to convince the concierge to let them take the elevator without informing her.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. Please open the door ma'am."

Raven recognized Fury's voice. _Should I take it as an honour that he'd come himself?_ She wondered briefly before she opened the door, feigning surprise at seeing him.

"Director Fury! To what do I owe the pleasure of your unexpected visit? You must admit, it's quite late in the day-"

"Loki escaped!" Fury cut her off.

He really was not a man who wasted time with pleasantries. Instead, he brushed past her and entered the penthouse without having been invited. Behind him, two agents were waiting for his orders.

"Oh my god!" Raven clutched a hand to her chest. "But how... how could this happen? I thought he was secure where he was."

Meanwhile, Severus had risen from the sofa and approached her, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder.

"Is everything alright, love?"

"No. Not at all. Please meet Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Fury, my husband Severus Snape." She introduced them before she continued, addressing Severus. "A very distressing thing happened. Apparently, that war criminal, Loki- responsible for the horrible attack on New York- managed to escape the clutches of S.H.I.E.L.D and now these friendly agents have come here to warn me..." With the most innocent expression she could muster, Raven glanced at Fury. "I really appreciate you're worried about my safety."

His eye turned to stare at her and it was clear to see he wasn't amused. Most certainly he did not worry.

"Oh dear!" Severus exclaimed, feigning concern. "I hope my wife is not in danger?"

"Where is Loki?" Fury asked.

"Do you want me to come and help collecting evidence about his disappearance?" Raven offered sincerely.

"That won't be necessary." Fury's upper lip curled into a sneer- it was obvious he didn't think much of Raven's skills. He glanced around the living room one more time but couldn't find anything suspicious. Then he took his leave. "Thank you for your cooperation."

"No, thank you, Director Fury, for coming to warn me. I hope you'll find him soon."

"Don't worry about that."

Raven turned to Severus. "Isn't it good to know organisations as big and powerful as S.H.I.E.L.D are there to protect us? Oh- by the way, Director Fury! Since you're here anyway would you like me to give you my report now, or shall I bring it tomorrow?"

"Your report?" He stopped at the door.

"Yes." She smiled at him. "About the runes and the magic."

"For all I care, give it to me." Fury heaved an exasperated sigh that made it obvious he'd probably use her report as toilet paper because the witch had not been of any use so far.

"Just a moment." Raven hurried to the big dining table at the other end of the room and collected a pile of sheets. Fury followed her a few steps into the room, stopped, and glanced around once more. Ever so slightly he shook his head.

He took the report from her hands and left without saying goodbye or closing the door behind him.

Raven breathed a sigh of relief when he was gone. Severus made an attempt to speak but she silenced him with a finger on her lips. _Not yet_, her eyes said as she produced her wand to check the area to see if Fury had used the intrusion for bugging their home and was almost disappointed to find none. That guy had really no great opinion of her, probably thinking her a harmless little witch with a hippie-like peace and love attitude who'd give even the most dangerous prisoner a bottle of water.

She chuckled at that.

"My, my," Severus said finally, after she'd indicated it was save to have a conversation, "even after all these years my wife will never cease to surprise me. Mind, I never underestimated you, but I didn't know either what a very talented liar and actress you are."

"You were very good, too, darling. _Oh dear, I hope my wife is not in danger_..."

"I was just playing along. For a moment, I thought you almost over-egged the pudding with all your talking about big and powerful S.H.I.E.L.D, but then you topped it all with your report, stalling his leave, letting him follow you inside once more. No one who has something to hide would have done that."

Raven retrieved her glass of wine, downed its content in a single, greedy gulp and refilled it. Then she lit a cigarette.

"That's why I did it. I know how the guilty suspects react; I studied their behaviour for a long time now." She raked her fingers through her hair. "It was exhausting. I never want to have to do that again."

Severus sat down next to her on the sofa and took her hands in his. "I sincerely hope Loki is really worth all your effort."

"So do I." Raven said as she leaned her head against his shoulder, enjoying his proximity for a moment before she got up again. "You know I would have preferred our last evening before you leave for Kathmandu to be different, but I have to go and check back on our dear guest."

Severus rose as well. He cupped her face in his palms and kissed her. "You're an incredible woman. Please come to bed soon, will you?"

Actually, it was hard to resist the urge to follow him upstairs to their bedroom, but Raven knew she would enjoy the fun only half as much if she didn't check on Loki first. So she smiled at her husband and said, "Don't fall asleep."

He flashed her a smirk. "I won't."

While he walked up the staircase, she went down the corridor to the guest room, knocking before she entered. Loki didn't stir. He'd fallen asleep, looking all young and innocent.

Raven turned off the light at his bedside table, noticed that he must have eaten the broth since the bowl was empty, so she removed it. Then, she followed her husband.

ooOoo

Sleep didn't come untroubled that night. Raven was dreaming strange things she couldn't even remember when she woke up, sweating and panting, not knowing what had startled her so.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was housing a mad mass-murder and war criminal. But then she recalled Loki's face and failed to see him as that.

And yet, something was amiss.

With a sigh, she left her husband's warm embrace and got up. It was colder than it should be, as if a cool breeze was blowing in from the terrace doors... but they were closed when they went to bed, and she had repaired the broken pane.

Curiosity got the better of her. Raven took her wand and tiptoed to the landing of the staircase leading down to the living room, looking down. Immediately she noticed that the doors to the terrace were standing wide open. Frowning, she walked downstairs in order to check on that.

It didn't take her long to notice that Loki was up and outside, standing much too close to the edge of the terrace and, to make things worse, at a place where no windshield barrier was to keep him from falling.

_Damn! Was he suicidal?_

Cautiously, she approached him, trying not to startle him. After all, they were at the 60th floor of a building that was some eight-hundred-something feet tall, and she didn't know if a damaged demigod would survive crashing down onto the asphalt of the busy street below.

Loki didn't seem to take any notice of her, even when she started talking to him. He simply kept on staring into the abyss before he finally gingerly, took a step forwards-

Just in time, Raven reached out, got hold of his arm and pulled him back, hurling him around.

"Are you totally nuts?" She yelled at him. "Do you think I saved you from bloody S.H.I.E.L.D only that you can kill yourself afterwards? Goddammit that's a fucking stupid plan!"

All of a sudden, he started panting and his eyes widened. Their colour changed from an unnatural bluish glow back to green as he glanced down and then at her.

"You... " his voice sounded strange, as if it was coming from very far away. _From a distant memory? _"You will not let me fall... "

"Now that would be fucking counter-productive given the effort I put in saving you from S.H.I.E.L.D-"

"He tossed me into the abyss."

His eyes were still wide, almost projecting a scene similar to this one, only that he was dangling at the end of a... stick... and beneath his feet were not the nightly streets of Manhattan with all its neon lights and cars, but an abyss made of maelstroms of unknown energy and multicoloured nebula.

_'No, Loki.'_

_There was still hope in his eyes as he glanced up to the mighty Allfather who was holding him, him and Thor._

_'I could have done it, father. I could have done it. For you. For all of us .'_

_'No, Loki.'_

No one had really tossed him into that abyss- he had willingly let go- but when Raven saw the flicker of hope dying in his eyes, she understood that words could be like daggers, stabbing your heart. Rejection is like a slap in the face, she knew that. It can crash you, destroy you- make you let go. Make you fall...

Loki narrowed his eyes at her, threateningly, realizing she had somehow managed to pry into his mind.

"Do you like what you see, little witch? Does it satisfy you?" He lashed out. "Keep out of my mind!"

"Well, keep your mind occluded and don't projected your memory into the sky for all to see." Raven said unfazed as she placed a soothing hand on his arm. "And no, I don't feel satisfied. Tell me more about it, Loki. What happened then?"

"I fell." He frowned at her. _I fell but I didn't die_\- no one had ever wanted to hear more. Not Thor when he'd grabbed him by the throat and hurled him out of that plane, crashing him onto some rock in the middle of nowhere, demanding the whereabouts of the Tesseract...

Her eyes, almost as blue as Thor's but different, never leaving his face, were showing honest concern.

He took a moment to glance at her as if seeing her for the first time, still frowning.

"You're not that unattractive," he noticed.

"Oh thank you. And you still look like death warmed over." This was about the weirdest conversation one could have with a mad stranger in the middle of the night, especially when you're barefoot and only wearing a thin, silken nightie. Raven tightened the grip around her wand.

"Are we done with flattery now?" Loki flashed her a wide grin.

"For now- just what the hell were you doing here? "

He cast a fleeting glance at the edge and shuddered, moving a few steps closer to the middle if the terrace. "I... I don't know. "

"Your eyes had an eerie blueish glow."

"What?" He asked, sounding totally aghast. It was obvious he knew more than he wanted to tell her.

"Damn, what happened that damaged you so? Thor said you disappeared-"

"You spoke to Thor? What did the big oaf have to say?"

"Um... actually I didn't listen-" Loki's amused laughter cut her off. Raven smiled at him and continued. "I didn't care for his opinion; I prefer to make up my own mind, and for that I needed memories."

"Ooh, you like that, don't you? Snooping around in the mind of others."

"Well, if it's supportive... you know, I don't spring prisoners from jail very often and most certainly not without gathering all information possible first."

"Why?" He nibbled at his lip and shook his head.

"You mean why did I help you? You were in need of help." Raven stated simply. "Now tell me what happened to you after you fell. Where did you go?"

"The Void." Loki mumbled as he turned around, hiding his face, his eyes from her.

"The... _Void_? Um... care to elaborate on that?"

"Do you want to know about the void? Do you? You want to know how it eats you up and churns you out?" He didn't wait for her reply but continued. First, he sounded upset and full of rage, but that ceased a little later. Then, he merely sounded desperate and broken. "I fell- for how long I cannot tell because time doesn't matter in the void. Hours, years... millennia may pass and it's all the same. Nothing ever changes. You fall, you scream, but no one will ever hear you. There's only silence and loneliness and darkness. You hear your own heartbeat thundering in your ears, pounding louder and louder, deafeningly, until you want to rip out your heart with your own hands, and your fingers are bleeding from trying, but you fail, and the absence of sound is maddening. Worse, so much worse, though, is the loneliness. You're alone with your own monsters, monsters you created and they're gloating, mocking you when you start to fear yourself and the monsters lurking in you. You long for light and suddenly there is, but it burns out your eyes because it's so blinding, and then you fall further into darkness until your eyes are restored and you experience the same over and over again. Your throat is raw from screaming and you long for a balm... a glass of water is your greatest desire, except from death, but the void does not allow you to die, it keeps you alive long after hunger ate your intestines, and the cold of the void froze your heart while at the same time you feel the excruciating pain of heat burning your skin, burning the flesh off your bones... and there is just no end to it. Nothing will ever stop your pain.

"When the Chitauri finally found me, I... I so craved for any form of contact, for any voice talking to me even if it was only insults and mockery. I was the rightful king of Asgard, cast out and stranded in a faraway dimension, abandoned and left to their mercy. They... the Chitauri... aren't a friendly species. But I won't bore you with details about my captivity." Loki let his eyes sweep around, looking for Raven, and found her standing much closer to him than expected. "So yes, I made a deal with them. They were trapped in the dead space between dimensions, they needed the Tesseract to return to worlds of light and life."

_If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you, You think you know pain? You will long for something as sweet as pain..._

Loki shuddered when he thought of the deal he had not fulfilled.

"He gave me a tool, the sceptre."

Raven remembered that from S.H.I.E.L.D footage and immediately drew a conclusion. "But in fact you were the tool. Well, that explains a lot."

He arched a quizzical brow at her. "Oh, does it?"

There was still a lot Raven didn't understand but that could wait; she didn't want to push her luck too far, and she knew from many interrogations that there always came a point when the interviewed person would stop talking. So she simply placed a hand on his arm.

Loki flinched. He didn't want her pity and was about to shake off her hand or say something insulting, but then refrained from spoiling things, because he actually liked the warmth she radiated. Amused, he shook his head. Her touch rendered him helpless and for once he wasn't being criticised and moralized for his actions, for his choices...

"Hey," she said in a soft, caring tone, "you had a fucking bad time, you've been through hell and back. Take a rest, Loki. Get grounded again. Heal..."

Tentatively he was flexing the fingers of his broken hand but that was not what she meant.

Raven shook her head. There was more that had to heal than just some fractured bones. He was still badly damaged. Broken but not shattered. At least he'd stopped running, wreaking havoc... now he had to try to catch his breath again and think of a way back. It was not too late.

That moment, the sun was rising. A reddish glow at the eastern horizon had already indicated that event but now the bright orange orb emerged at the sky, slowly climbing higher. Loki turned around to stare at it. After a while, when the light became blinding, he closed his eyes and basked in the feeling of sunshine on his face.

"I'll get us a coffee." Raven decided, granting him a few moments of privacy...

* * *

_thanks for reading. Did you like it? Hate it? Any opinion? I would like to hear from you, so please review. _


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to all who reviewed or favoured this story. Feedback is always appreciated.

Chapter 4

Raven loved her automatic coffee machine, the smell of freshly ground beans, the sound it made when coffee sputtered into the cup. She chose a caffè latte that was mostly milk for Loki (he didn't really need a caffeine shot) and a double espresso for herself. After having handed him the glass, she returned to the kitchen in order to prepare breakfast for her husband.

Severus was up early today; he had already showered and dressed when he joined her in the kitchen. Apparently he was not in a good mood because he frowned at her, disapproval in his eyes.

"I do understand you want to help him. But does that necessarily include you leaving our bed in the middle of the night and presenting yourself to him half-naked?" Severus pointed out of the window at Loki who was still sitting on the terrace.

"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to change clothes before I prevented him from falling down some eight-hundred feet." Raven said in a slightly snappish tone.

Severus arched a brow at her. "Why would he do that?"

"Apparently, he has a history with falling into abysses." She shrugged. "I don't know, Sev. It's not as if he would trust me and pour out his heart to me- I guess that's expecting too much. He opened up a little bit, though. I suspect there's something more to his attempting to throw himself off a high rise than just suicidal tendencies or sleepwalking, but he won't tell me- not yet- and it wouldn't be wise to use pressure on him."

"I don't like that. I don't like the idea of leaving you alone with him while I'm a thousand miles away in Kathmandu-"

"And you will not cancel your trip. Sev, a potioneers conference like that is only held every... how many years? Fifty? You will go, and you will leave it to me to worry about Loki. I can handle him."

"He's been here less than twelve hours and already we're arguing over him."

"I didn't start it, Sev. We agreed to help him, and I won't throw him out now just because you have a little fit of jealousy."

"It's not that. It's about you finding him at the edge of our terrace and suspecting there's something more to it he won't tell you. What if he's possessed?"

Raven recalled the strange blue glow of his eyes, his apparent disorientation when she'd pulled him back. "Yeah, something like that is likely. I will find out. Do you want to have breakfast now?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Please do me the favour and contact Alice and debrief her."

"That, I will do." She needed more information anyway- for instance, what that Tessa-thing was Loki had mentioned.

ooOoo

He tried to remember the last time he'd seen the sun rise. It must have been the day of Thor's coronation when everyone in Asgard was so excited about the upcoming event and Loki... well, it was more like _restlessness_ that had woken him early that day. Then, he hadn't cared for the beauty of it, hadn't revelled in the feeling of warmth on his face...

Now he enjoyed it, and he shook his head at the irony of it, given his frost giant parentage. Perhaps Laufey had been right to abandon him because he didn't even like cold.

Loki had just taken a seat in one of these outdoor armchairs when the witch returned, wordlessly placing a glass with a warm drink in his hands. Then she walked away again.

He frowned, still not quite knowing what to think of her. She seemed to be all kind and caring- but he had seen the rage in her eyes and suspected she wasn't really as soft as she appeared. And she had that uncanny aptness for snooping around the mind of others, him included.

It would be hard to make new plans if he couldn't find a way to keep her out of his mind. But that could wait. He was still much too tired and exhausted from the Void, the Chitauri and the hospitality of S.H.I.E.L.D to be back in the business.

First things first. Loki took a sip of his drink and found it agreeable. Too much milk, perhaps. After all, he wasn't an abandoned kitten she could hope to adopt with her stupid compassion. He'd already been adopted once too often...

Anger was rising up within him as he recalled how he'd found out about his true parentage, the inscrutable, non-existent expression on Odin's face. But for once, his rage was not getting the better of him. At the moment, he only felt.. nothing. A strange emptiness. He had no plan, no purpose, no place to go. His hands were still hurting. And yet something had changed- right after he'd almost made falling into an abyss a habit of his. The pressure was gone. All the time, ever since his arrival on earth, there had been an enormous pressure in his head, which had now ceased- he knew not why.

_What did the Other do to me? _Loki wondered, trying to remember exactly what had transpired from the moment the Chitauri found him until his arrival at that S.H.I.E.L.D base. He knew the Other had given him the sceptre... there were fragments of fleeting memories whirling around in his mind, too blurred, too vague to make sense. Disappearing too fast to grasp them.

It definitely was not helpful that the witch returned- again- asking him if he'd like to have breakfast. He'd almost managed to recall something, but that something had burst like a soap-bubble thanks to her untimely interruption. Loki turned his head to glare at her, about to lash out. Then he changed his mind. He was hungry. Very hungry.

"Breakfast sounds agreeable," he replied politely.

"Do you like anything in particular?" The witch asked.

Loki shook his head, feigning a meek smile. "Whatever you have.."

In the end, he ate a large bowl of yoghurt and fresh strawberries, savouring every spoon of sweet ripe fruits in combination with the slightly sour component of the yoghurt, only mildly sweetened with maple syrup. Then he had some more of the broth the witch had left on his bedside table last night, but now it also contained meat and vegetables that weren't overcooked. It was delicious.

After that he retreated to his room. The bed with its clean white sheets and pillows still looked alluring to him, but before he would allow himself the restoring properties of sleep, he felt the urge to clean himself.

There was a door that led to his private bathroom; the wizard had told him yesterday. Loki opened the door and glanced around; immediately understanding the concept of all the different constructions. _Nice_, he decided, and he had to admit that Midgardian sanitary facilities were decidedly more advanced than in Asgard- well, it wasn't really _that_ hard to top a basin of cold water.

Here, the water just came pouring down on him like a summer shower but with adjustable temperature. He enjoyed it, wishing he could not only wash away the grime but also the memories that came with it.

After he was done in the bathroom, he slid under the covers of the bed, naked as he was, and was fast asleep only a moment later.

It was hard to tell when Loki woke, because his mind was alert long before he finally opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was sunshine pouring in through the window. A smile curled up his lips. Sunshine meant no glass cage and white lights, casting no shadows. Soft sheets covered his body, the fabric not quite as exquisite as he was used to from his life as a prince of Asgard, but it was agreeable. He stretched his long limbs, feeling refreshed.

Then he glanced at the small clock sitting at his bedside table; it said 12:30. Almost lunchtime. He was hungry again.

Sitting up in bed, he decided that his usual black and green leather attire was perhaps a bit out of place in this environment. He wanted to look a little more... _adapted-_ which also ruled out the elegant suit he wore for the premier in Germany, his favourite outfit when he had dealings with mortals; it simply would look too overdressed. So he opted for a more casual dress style, but he didn't have much reference except for the wizard... oh, and Stark.

Loki glanced at his reflection in the mirror and smirked. He was wearing jeans that looked casual although they were probably very expensive, in combination with a plain, black shirt. It gave him a totally unobtrusive appearance.

Now, he was back in the game.

A little later he left his room and walked down the corridor to the living room. The witch was busying herself in the kitchen, only separated from the rest of the room by a counter with some barstools sitting by it. Atop the counter stood a large bowl of fresh fruits, looking absolutely mouth-watering.

"Oh," the witch turned around and smiled at him, "you're finally up."

"A very astute observation. Had I known that such prestigious intellect actually existed it this realm-" Loki fell silent when his nose detected some very delicate aromas coming from the stove, and you just don't bite the hand that feeds you.

"You're feeling better, eh? Well, you definitely look much better." She arched a brow a brow at his new attire. "Nice clothes. I assume your magic is fully restored?"

He merely smirked at that.

"Are you hungry?" When he didn't reply, she continued. "You slept for almost thirty hours, you must be hungry. Help yourself to the fruits if you like."

_Thirty hours? Well, I must have been really exhausted... _He accepted her offer and reached for a peach, savouring the juicy sweetness of it.

"So what's for lunch?"

"Spaghetti vongole." She poured a generous dose of white wine into the frying pan before she explained, "spaghetti with clam shells. I don't know what you Asgardians like to eat, and since you were sleeping I couldn't ask you, so you will have to put up with what I like."

"It smells good." Loki admitted. "In Asgard, they like to devour great amounts of roasted meat- whole wild boars and pheasants. I... I was always a bit different. You don't have to roast a whole boar for me."

"Oh, now that's good," she quipped, smiling at him. "Could be a difficult to find a wild boar in New York City."

His lips twitched slightly. Although he had been raised as a prince of Asgard and therefore should be skilled at courteous small talk, it almost felt a bit strange now to have a normal conversation- he wasn't used to it anymore, after all the time in the void and the Chitauri and being muzzled. His little chat with Romanoff didn't count, that was all manipulation...

Sometime later, the witch placed down a plate in front of Loki. The food looked and smelled delicious. Clam shells in a sauce made of white wine, tomatoes, basil leaves and garlic. Well, and spaghetti; he wasn't familiar with food that came in the form of long white strings. Clandestinely, he watched how she handled them before he followed her example. Very soon he became a big fan of spaghetti.

ooOoo

Raven noticed the expression of bliss on his face- it made him look incredibly young. She smiled.

"I knew you'd like it. Everybody likes spaghetti. I think it's soul food- it gives you that warm feeling of comfort-"

Loki nibbled at his lips. "After all I've done you give me food and shelter?"

"No, because of what you've been through." Raven took the empty plates and carried them to the sink. "Espresso?"

Without waiting for his reply she made two espressos before she encouraged him to join her on the terrace. It was another warm and sunny day, and he still looked deathly pale. At least the dark shadows around his eyes were gone.

There were still a lot of questions she needed answers to, but she didn't want to push him; he would merely clam up. Besides, she got the feeling he'd been pushed too much already, and she wanted him to catch his breath again, relax, get grounded.

So she did most of the talking and actually managed to amuse him with her report of visiting the Union Square Greenmarket yesterday, followed by two agents of S.H.I.E.L.D- totally unobtrusive in their dark suits and sunglasses- and how she'd driven them almost mad by the way she had walked from stall to stall, comparing quality and prices.

"So S.H.I.E.L.D is still suspicious of you?" Loki asked after a while, nipping at his espresso.

"It's S.H.I.E.L.D we're talking about. It's their job to be suspicious. I knew Fury would spy on me, even if he considers me a harmless freak. However, spying is in his nature. But don't worry, you're safe here. We've got something that even Fury doesn't know about."

Loki arched a quizzical brow at her.

"Muggle-Repelling Charms." Raven answered with a smirk.

"Muggle?"

"Our term for all our non-magical fellow citizens."

"Tell me more about the magic of Midgard."

So Raven told him a couple of things, about wizarding schools and communities, the parallel society that existed next to the Muggle world, undiscovered most of the time.

Loki shook his head. "With all the powers you sorcerers of Midgard have, why don't you rule the other mortals? You seem to be lurking in the shadows-"

"Every now and then, a wizard comes up with the very same question and ends up striving for world domination, thinking the wizarding kind superior to Muggles. But we're not. Muggle technology is developing faster than most of us can grasp, and they majority of the wizarding race is happy with living the traditional way, untroubled by Muggles. They busy themselves with funny little household spells and prefer to communicate by sticking their heads into a dusty fireplace.

"The last Dark wizard who sought to subjugate this world lost his final battle back in 1998, although he was first defeated in 1981. I helped defeat him. I once looked into the face of pure evil, so full of malice he was far beyond redemption, and I laughed into his face and told him I was his worst nightmare, because I believed in love and friendship- mere sentiments in his eyes- but in the end much stronger than he'd ever expected. I defied him because of Severus. Because he'd been so foolish to believe in the Dark Lord's lies and almost made the wrong choice of joining his fraternity of Death Eaters. He was dangling at the edge but I pulled him back with reason and conviction."

For a long time, Loki didn't say anything, mulling her words. Then he asked, incredulously. "Your world in the balance and you defied this Dark Lord for... _what?_ To save the man you love?"

"I never claimed to be a heroine. Sometimes, saving just one soul can change the result of a whole war. It did, then."

"Where's your dear husband anyway?"

"Kathmandu." Raven replied. "World's largest potioneers conference, held only every fifty years."

"And he left you all alone... with me."

"He trusts in my knowledge of the human nature."

"You're foolish enough to trust me." Loki said smoothly, only a hint of threat in his voice.

"Oh no, I don't." She reached out to pat his hand, now fully healed. "You know, Loki, this is not about trust. It's about giving you a chance."

He frowned at her, so she tried to elaborate on that.

"You're so damned close to the edge. You're damaged, broken-"

"You think you've figured me out, witch? You're wrong. You know nothing about me!"

"I'm just trying to find out more about you," Raven replied calmly, unimpressed by his anger. "There's so much I still want to know about that Tessa-thing, about the sceptre, about the Chitauri- what happened before the Void. I want to know more about Asgard, your life there before it all got out of control. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to justify your deeds. I'm just trying to understand... and I haven't yet made up my mind just how much you are to be held responsibly for your actions. Clearly, you're not the totally innocent guy who's been wronged terribly- although I wouldn't rule out you've been wronged, either. I have to admit, I'm a very inquisitive person, but I won't push you."

"But you won't let go either." Loki concluded, offering her a disarming smile.

Raven smiled back at him. "Take your time."

"Speaking of time- isn't it time for dinner?"

"You're deflecting." She rolled her eyes at his smug smile, but he was still alarmingly thin beneath his glamour, and she wondered when he'd eaten last. Certainly not while being held captive and muzzled at S.H.I.E.L.D, and she mightily doubted the Chitauri had been more hospitable.

"I'm hungry. Just because I can survive without food for a long time doesn't mean I don't enjoy it."

"Well then, I marinated some lamb chops yesterday. We can put them on the charcoal grill and have a Greek salad along with them."

Her suggestion seemed to please him so Raven got up and went to the kitchen in order to prepare the salad, hoping that she could bait him with a good meal to tell her more. She didn't want to manipulate him with his appetite... well, but it couldn't harm to try either.

When she returned to the terrace, she was surprised to see he had already lit the charcoal. Most likely he had done it from where he was sitting, using magic.

"Thank you," Raven said and smiled as she placed a large bowl with salad on the table. Immediately, he moved closer to take a look at it. Apparently he liked what he saw.

Loki seemed to have a favour for anything that was not a roasted wild boar; he relished fresh things and he ate with great indulgence, savouring each bite in an almost elegant way. For someone who enjoyed cooking and took pride in her skills, it was a pleasure to watch him because it praised her work more than any verbal flattery.

Raven didn't want to disrupt the pleasant atmosphere by bothering him with questions- _that could wait, give him time_\- so she merely made some small talk. He surprised her, though, when he revealed some trivia about his life in Asgard, making it obvious that he had always been an outsider there.

_Our parents kept the truth from him because they didn't want him to feel any different._

Well, but he **was **different, in every possible aspect. Loki wasn't the strong, fierce warrior which was the manly norm there. He liked magic and cunning, preferred to use his sharp intellect instead of his muscles, would rather spend his time in the library than on a battlefield. He liked a good glass of wine instead of getting drunk on mead, and he liked to eat fruits and vegetables when all the others would devour great amounts of meat. He was different.

"Have you never wondered about that? I mean, before you found out you were adopted?" Raven couldn't help but ask incredulously.

They had finished eating but were still sitting outside, enjoying a bottle of Rioja Gran Reserva.

His eyes narrowed. "Who told you? Was it Thor? What else did he tell you? Did he tell you about my true parentage?"

She was a bit surprised about the sudden anger in his voice, how it seemed to increase with every question- but beneath all that anger, there was also a hidden trace of tremendous hurt and despair.

"He merely told me you're adopted and that your parents lied to you until about a year ago. I must admit that's crass."

"Oh, do you? Do you have any idea what's it like to not only find out you've been lied to for all of your life but also that you're actually the offspring of monsters parents tell their children about at night?"

"What?"

"Look at me!"

Raven did- actually, she had never taken her eyes off him ever since that anger had piqued up in his voice. But he didn't want her to just look at him. He wanted to show her something, a memory.

_Loki picked up a casket, ornamented metal and runes containing a shining, bluish light. Suddenly, the colour of his skin began to change, starting from his hands, crawling up his arms, his body, to his face, turning it blue. His eyes were glowing red like the charcoals..._

"What do you see now?" His voice seemed to come from very far away since Raven seemed to be still standing in the vault of his memories, watching him.

"Um... deleted scene from Avatar?"

_'Stop!' A voice of authority shouted at Loki and he turned around, turning from blue skin back to his normal skin colour as he asked, 'Am I cursed?'_

"What?" Loki asked perplexed.

Raven didn't reply. She was still in that scene in his mind, staring up a staircase to where Odin Allfather was standing in all his imposing glory, glancing down at his son. It was like a film reel winding on without anyone being able to stop it. She realized that Loki tried to, and she really didn't want to pry about in his mind, but the scene just kept on playing...

_'What more than that?' There was a sharp edge in Loki's voice now as he approached the Allfather. 'The casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?'_

_'No.' Odin admitted, and then he told Loki that in the aftermath of the battle he went into a temple where he found a baby, small for a giant offspring, abandoned, suffering, left to die._

_'Why?' Loki asked, totally stunned. 'You were knee-deep in Jotun blood- why would you take me?'_

_And he seemed to realize immediately that Odin was still lying to him when he said, 'You were an innocent child.' He__** knew**__ that Odin took him for a purpose._

_'TELL ME!' He screamed with so much anger and desperation in his voice..._

...The memory was so full of emotions Raven almost felt the same pain, anger and desperation. It was as if she'd been sucked right into Loki's mind, sharing the same emotions. And still, there was no way to stop it, no way to cast a projection of that scene and watch it from a safe distance as a neutral observer.

It didn't matter what Odin's plans for Loki where. The revelation shattered him within seconds; the realisation of being lied to for an eternity hit him hard, destroyed any ideas of trust.

_'What?' He breathed, barely audible, panting, trying to regain some countenance. 'So I'm not more than another stolen relict, locked up here until you might have use of me?'_

_Raven knew he wasn't twisting Odin's words and she didn't believe him that he only wanted to protect Loki from the truth_

_'Why? Because I... I... I'm the monster parents tell their children about at night?'_

Finally, the memory ended and Raven felt like she was being spit out of Loki's mind, landing hard on her back...

Loki had grabbed her by the throat and hurled her across the terrace.

"Ouch!" She gasped, getting up slowly. He was standing some feet away, nibbling at his lip, looking slightly ashamed. "What the fuck- damn, I didn't start this; it wasn't my intention to pry about and intrude into something as private as-"

"SHUT UP!" Loki appeared as if he wanted to run away, very far away, but was being constrained by the borders of the terrace. He was panting; his magic seemed to explode in an outburst of golden-green sparks, veiling him in a strange aura of light and energy.

If she approached him now, he would probably kill her.

"Loki, I didn't want to see that. I was not mind-raping you. The scene was winding on and I couldn't stop it. I'm sorry. I have no idea what happened. You asked me to look at you; you wanted to show me something- your Jotun form, I assume. You wanted to prove me you're a monster- but you're not. No one is born to be a monster; it's not in your blood or in your parentage. It's a decision; it's about the choices you make."

"Do you **ever** stop babbling?" Now he was shaking like a leaf, looking all haunted and breathless.

"Rarely." Raven offered him a smirk. "You'll have to hurl me across the terrace more often to achieve that."

"I..." He turned his back on her.

That was as much of an apology as she would ever get; he was much too proud to admit that it wasn't very gentlemanly to hurl his nice and caring hostess across the terrace. But it was the little things that gave him away, like the slumping of his shoulders. The revelation of his true parentage had broken him, had turned him from an Asgardian prince into the monster parents tell their children about at night, and now he tried his best to live up to the expectations._ Idiot! _

Raven heaved a sigh. "I need a cigarette break."

She crossed the terrace, heading for the door. Before she entered the living room, she turned around to glance at him.

"Can I trust you to stay away from the edge and not doing anything stupid, like running away?"

"Ooh, am I your prisoner now?" Loki asked in a mocking tone, challenging her from a safe distance. "What will you do to keep me here?"

"Keep you? You're not my prisoner, Loki. If you want to leave- there's the door. But it would be downright stupid of you to leave with S.H.I.E.L.D still searching for you. They found you via face trace before and they will find you again. So, unless you yearn to be back with them and your best friend, Agent Barton, I'd recommend you to stay here and keep a low profile. But it's all up to you." Without giving Loki a chance to reply, Raven went indoors offering him a moment to calm down and catch his breath again.

The moment she entered the kitchen, tears were streaming down her face. The memory was still too vivid in her mind. Could there possibly be a worse way to find out you're not what you were made believe to be, realizing you've been lied to for thousand years?

She lit a cigarette, trying to catch her own breath again. Although she wasn't generally of a cruel or violent nature, she nevertheless longed to use the Cruciatus Curse on Odin, no matter if he was a god or a demigod or simply a cold-hearted bastard.

Raven hoped that having to relive this traumatic memory all over again had not triggered something in Loki, setting him off on a rampage. She glanced through the kitchen window and was relieved to see him still standing on the terrace, apparently staring into space.

Admittedly, it was perhaps an absurd idea. Nevertheless she turned on the stove and opened the fridge, remembering she had prepared two more chocolate volcanoes the other day.

When she returned on the terrace a little later, Loki was sitting in his chair again, holding his head in his hands.

ooOoo

He'd gone too far and he knew it. He always knew it in the end. That, however, wouldn't stop him from going too far the next time, pushing the limits over and over again.

This time, he'd truly outdone himself. He'd pissed off the only person who still cared about him and was willing to give him a chance. But he'd cast it to the wind- it wouldn't even surprise him if she had called S.H.I.E.L.D by now, asking them to pick him up.

He hadn't wanted to hurt the witch. Not intentionally, at least. He had merely wanted the memory to end, and with it the pain and the shame and all his damned emotions. Pathetic! He wished he could simply stop feeling, but the betrayal still hurt, making him remember all the times he'd felt different and scorned.

The witch returned and slipped a plate with a small dark cake in front of him.

Loki glanced up to her with an expression of utter incredulity on his face.

"Monster feeding time." She said, trying to make her voice sound light but he noticed the strain in it. He also noticed the treacherous traces of tears on her cheeks.

"You cried."

"I was angry." The witch snuffled, stubbornly wiping her eyes- probably not the best idea because now she was smearing her mascara even more. Loki decided to not mock her about it, he'd done enough damage for tonight and was still surprised that she offered him cake instead of returning him to S.H.I.E.L.D.

"I was- perhaps- reacting a bit too drastic," he admitted. _Oh, but the cake smelled good_...

"Glad we can agree on that. Now, eat, Beastie Boy. Before it gets cold."

Frowning at her, Loki dug his spoon into the cake, realizing it was all liquid inside. He took a tentative bite... and was overwhelmed by the sensation it caused to his taste buds. It wasn't like anything he had ever tasted before. It was slightly bitter, rich in flavour, and yet there was also a delicate sweetness to it. Pure, utter bliss.

He must have released a sigh of pleasure, because the witch gave him a smug smile.

"Am I right to assume you don't have chocolate in Asgard?"

Loki tried to turn his expression back into a mask of cool indifference... but failed when he took another spoonful.

"You should try it with a sip of wine; it's a great combination."

He followed her advice and had to admit she was right. The combination of wine and chocolate seemed to increase the flavour of both products and gave him the feeling of- well, it wasn't like coming home from a long journey since he didn't have a home anymore; it was more like arriving and being welcome.

He had absolutely no idea why she was doing this; she really shouldn't be so... _kind._.. not after he had vent his rage on her, throwing her across the terrace, not caring if that could possibly kill her fragile mortal body. His outburst had shocked even him, albeit not enough to break his pride and apologize.

"Why?" Loki asked after a while, too curious to remain silent any longer. "Are you really that foolish to believe food would render me docile?"

"No, I thought we could both use some comfort food after the recent events. Don't you agree?"

When Loki didn't reply, she continued. "You know, I don't want to pester you with all my silly sentiments, but I still believe you deserve a second chance. But before I go on- could we at least agree on that there will be no more throwing me around while you're staying at my place?"

He thought about it for a moment, then he agreed.

"What's Avatar?"

The witch shot him a puzzled glance, then she chuckled. "Ah that- well, Avatar was a movie a blue-skinned humanoid species from another planet. It was a big commercial success."

"Are you trying to mock me, witch?"

"No, you wanted me to see the monster in you, but I failed. Blue skin and red eyes aren't really that scary, and to be honest, for a frost _giant_ you're not... um-"

"Tall enough?" Loki offered. "I believe that's why Laufey left me to die."

"Laufey?"

"The late king of the Jotuns, my dear father."

She detected the sarcasm in his voice; she was a clever little witch. "What happened to him?"

Loki picked up his wine glass, took a sip and then relaxed in his chair, before he replied smugly. "I tricked him into entering Asgard with the promise of murdering Odin in his sleep. When he was about to do so, I killed him."

There may be a couple of things he'd done that he regretted, this was definitely not one of them.

"What about your mother?"

"She witnessed me saving Odin and for a moment-" He fell silent, realizing his mistake. Frigga was **not** his mother. The witch had asked about his biological mother, and actually that was an interesting question. "I don't know. Probably just a nameless slut."

"Or a war bride? If I understood correctly you were found in the aftermath of a battle. I admit, I don't know anything about Asgardians or Jotuns, but I know that wars in general aren't fought on battlegrounds alone. There are other means than just swinging the axe or firing missiles; there's often also the terrorizing aspect."

His fingers tightened around the glass, almost crushing it in his hand. Perhaps, he shouldn't have killed Laufey that fast. On the other hand, it was bad enough to know he was of frost giant origin, so why make things worse and find out he was also a product of rape?

"You know, Loki, it doesn't matter who fathered you or gave birth to you. In the end, all that matters is who raised you, who gave you love and shelter and ideals. Of course, they should have told you where you came from as soon as you were old enough to understand. Knowledge doesn't necessarily bring happiness, but hiding the truth from you for so long was a very stupid way to not make you feel any different. It could only lead to disaster.

"Anyway, you have to come to terms with it. You can't change what happened. You will have to live with that knowledge; it will be part of you and never go away. Maybe one day it will hurt less and not appear as a betrayal to you, but until then, don't let it shatter you. You're more than that. Your Jotun background is nothing but a genetic code; it doesn't mean anything. It's still up to you to define what kind of man you want to be."

He listened; he heard her out. He didn't let his anger get the better of him. Didn't tell her to mind her own business because apparently she had made him her business, and he was still surprised she hadn't given up on him despite the way he had treated her.

Loki took another sip of wine, trying to recall the days when he used to be the level-headed one. The one who used his brain- contrary to Thor, who always preferred a display of his physical strength.

"Have you ever talked about these things before?" The witch asked.

"Will you ever stop pestering me with questions?"

"I'm of an inquisitive nature; it's part of my job."

"Your job?"

"Yeah, I'm working for the WIIA, the Wizarding Investigation and Intelligence Agency. We investigate magically related crimes and although we do cooperate with Muggle authorities, we're an independent-"

"So this is no more than an interrogation, but with food and wine as a bait for my cooperation?" He suddenly felt foolish for believing the witch actually cared about him.

"No." She actually possessed the nerve to roll her eyes at him and she grabbed his arm to stop him from getting up and walking away. Loki glared down at her. "Please stay. This is still a conversation. I'm not interrogating you; I merely want to get to know you better."

"And if I want to end this conversation now?" He snapped.

She let go off his arm. "That would be regrettable- but if you want to leave, please don't leave in anger. I'm not trying to fool you. I'm not at work at the moment. Actually, I'm on an unpaid leave for a couple of days just to enjoy the pleasure of your company.."

"Nevertheless, I will go to bed now."

"Sleep well, Loki." The witch chirped.

thanks to ellennar for beta reading


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When Raven entered the kitchen the next morning, Loki was already up and apparently, he had busied himself with the coffee machine... well, more with the milk frother to be precise because there was frothed milk all over the place, even on the god of mischief. King of the world, crowned with milk froth.

He however seemed to be quite contented with himself, sipping coffee, reading the _Wizarding Times._

She smirked. "Good morning. Having fun?"

"You're late." Loki didn't look up from the newspaper

"Well, obviously you know how to handle a coffee machine." With a wave of her wand the kitchen was clean again, and also the dark hair of her guest. She noticed then that the bowl atop the counter was empty, so Loki couldn't be close to starving. "Oh, and you found the fruit. What more do you want? Don't tell me you missed my company."

"It was pleasantly quiet this morning."

"I'm so sorry. You know, I had problems getting up this morning. It felt like someone had grabbed me by the throat and hurled me across the terrace."

He had the decency to look slightly ashamed as he mumbled something unintelligible into his coffee.

Raven shuffled to the fridge and opened it. "So, do you want to have anything else for breakfast? Scrambled eggs with bacon or pancakes with strawberries?"

"There are still strawberries?"

"Ooh, seems you missed something on your raid. Remind me to go grocery shopping later-"

"Go grocery shopping."

She rolled her eyes; he really was in a splendid mood this morning. Although she really liked cooking, she didn't want to give him the impression she was his personal cook he could order around. Perhaps that was what he was used to from his life as prince of Asgard but now he was in her world. And she wanted scrambled eggs with bacon, so she put a plate with strawberries in front of him before she heated a pan, slowly frying the bacon.

All of a sudden, she heard the sound of grinding coffee beans and after that, coffee spluttering into a cup. Then the cup was being placed next to her by invisible hands.

Raven turned around. Loki was still sitting at the counter, reading the _Wizarding Times_; his face a mask of pure innocence.

"Thank you," she whispered. The coffee was hot and black and just the way she liked it. Damn! Loki could switch from insufferable to charming within seconds; it was like a roller-coaster ride having him around.

"It smells good." Raven almost dropped her cup because his voice came from right behind her shoulder and she hadn't even noticed him approaching. He chuckled at the way she jumped and whirled around, threatening him with a fork.

Loki crossed his arms over his chest, amused by her antics. "In Asgard, this dish would be made with a thick slice of bacon, dripping with grease. It always made me feel sick. But these look thin and... crispy. I may want to try it, if you don't mind."

"Oh... okay." Totally confused, Raven put the bacon in the oven to keep it warm, then she cracked some eggs. All the time wondering who was manipulating whom or if they were actually manipulating each other; he with his courteous behaviour and she with her cooking skills.

In the end, breakfast was an agreeable affair. The bacon was crispy, the scrambled eggs soft and fluffy, and Loki kept chatting about the trivial aspects of life in Asgard. His tone was amiable, but then again he wasn't giving away anything personal. Nevertheless, Raven noticed that as much as it was his home, he wasn't keen on returning there.

Well, that could eventually become a problem.

_'And after that, lass?' _Alice had asked when handing her the Portkey. '_After you have freed Loki, what will you do then?'_

Raven hadn't known an answer then- all she had cared about was stopping S.H.I.E.L.D from torturing him and to give Loki a safe place where he could recover. By now, he seemed to have recovered fairly well, and she still couldn't come up with a sensible answer.

She hadn't lied to him when she told him she was on an unpaid leave, because that's what she had actually arranged with Alice. Nevertheless, she was to find out if Loki was still a threat to this world- or just to himself.

In order to distract herself, she made a shopping list and changed into more presentable clothes for her visit to the market.

Loki glanced expectantly at her when she came down the staircase, wearing a casual summer dress.

"So we're finally leaving for the market now?"

"We?" Raven arched a brow at him. "_I_ will go to the market. _You_ will stay here. S.H.I.E.L.D? Face trace? Remember?"

"And if I'm not wearing the face they're tracing?"

Suddenly, Severus was standing in front of her, looking very very real. But it wasn't him- it was Loki.

"Impressive. But can you really keep up the pretence? Do you want to walk hand in hand across the market with me, pretending you love me?"

She hadn't even finished speaking when he had already changed back.

"'twas just a little fun, actually." He said with a boyish grin.

"Yeah, lots of fun indeed." Damn, but she already missed Sev, even if he was just gone for one and a half days. "Well, if you get bored because I'm not here to pester you with questions- there's the TV. Or if you prefer reading, we also have a library. It's down the spiral staircase. You can't miss it."

Raven picked up a basket, checked if she had her phone, purse and keys before heading for the door.

"Witch! What's shawarma?"

She stopped, heaving an exasperated sigh as she turned around to face Loki who was now lounging on the sofa. "Well, it's sort of Oriental fast food. Basically it's spiced meat cut off a large skewer, wrapped in a flat bread together with vegetables and a dressing. Why? Would you like to try it?"

"Indeed," he nodded, flashing her a winning smile.

"Alright, I'll get you some on my way back." Raven offered before she left.

ooOoo

The door slammed shut loudly as she departed. Loki waited for the treacherous sound of keys turning in a lock, but that never came. He wasn't imprisoned. He could walk right out that door and be gone long before she returned. The witch was either naive or downright stupid to trust him.

On the other hand, what's the point of running when you've got no place to go? And he'd been on the run for too long already. He felt drained, tired of running and falling and fighting. It was time to catch his breath again; time to stop and think. How many times had he said these words to Thor, and that imbecile had _**never**_ listened.

_'Know your place, brother!'_

Words stinging like a knife, like a slap in the face.

Perhaps now was a good time to heed his own advice. For the first time since the cancelled coronation- about an eternity ago in another life- he had stopped falling. He had landed hard, but for once he didn't feel the need to run and fight and defend himself. He wasn't being threatened, wasn't hurting anymore... well, except for his pride, perhaps.

With a sigh, Loki stared at the blank TV screen. Then he spotted the remote control and switched it on. Surfing through the various channels, he soon came to the conclusion that the mortal entertainment program was a mind dulling affair made for dimwits. Thor would probably love it... provided that he'd find a way to switch on the TV without using his hammer and smashing it in the process...

Loki rolled his eyes at the idea, wondering if Thor had returned to Asgard without him or if he was still in New York with lovely Jane. _What will Odin say to that?_ He doubted the Allfather had given his explicit approval to the golden boy's extended stay in Midgard, but there was nothing he could do about it since the Bifrost was gone and the Tesseract still in the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D- Loki laughed at the irony of it. Only because he had caused the destruction of the Bifrost, Thor was now having sort of a premarital honeymoon with his beloved mortal- an astrophysicist, Barton had told him. An intellectual woman, who probably had enough braincells for both of them. Well, there was a saying that opposites attract- it just didn't always turn out well, Loki knew from experience.

Biting his lips he shook his head at his own foolishness. It was just a memory; it didn't hurt anymore. Love was for children.

He was about to switch off the TV, when he found a news channel. Even ten days after the alien invasion, it was still on the news. There were reports about the damage done to the city, how the cleanup efforts were proceeding; pictures of missing persons were shown as well as pictures and videos taken with the cell phones of bystanders. Loki was almost disappointed that apparently no one had taken a picture of him, nor was he ever mentioned as the initiator of the Chitauri attack. But he could live with the lack of recognition. It had been a stupid plan anyway, trying to conquer Midgard with the help of an incompetent army that lacked finesse. His plan had been doomed from the beginning... well, all he had ever wanted to was to escape him. The Other.

_...no realm, no barren moon, no crevice..._

_SHUT UP!_

The voices in his head fell silent.

Shuddering, Loki glanced back at the screen, and was suddenly surprised to see the familiar face of the Iron Man, Tony Stark, at a press conference held in Los Angeles last night. The reporter spoke of a commotion, but all Loki could see was Stark getting increasingly fed up with questions about the Avengers and aliens when all he wanted to talk about was clean energy and the prototype of building he had developed. In the end he clammed up, suited up, and rocketed upwards, leaving behind a horde of media people staring open-mouthed at the nightly sky that had opened up above them.

After that, he finally switched off the TV and went on a tour exploring the penthouse. He already knew all of the rooms on this floor- there was the large living room with its very high ceilings and windows opening to the terrace; the kitchen, only separated from the rest of the room by a counter. On the opposite side, a corridor led to his room and bathroom where the ceiling was much was lower. He walked up the staircase leading to the upper floor with its master bedroom. He managed to open the door but couldn't get inside due to strong and powerful wards protecting the privacy of the witch and her husband- well, he wasn't even interested in invading, so he went downstairs again and headed for the spiral staircase, its landing situated in a small corridor next to the entrance door.

The witch had said there was a library down there. He expected to find one or two bookshelves-

"Oh!" Loki gasped, holding his breath. _Library_ was not an understatement. He had reached the end of the staircase and was staring in awe at the many rows of bookshelves reaching from floor to ceiling. The air smelled of old leather, dusty pages and_ knowledge_... he liked knowledge. Admittedly, it was often frowned upon in Asgard, especially by Thor's wonderful friends who loved to mock him because he rather preferred to spend his time with a book than on the training ground.

Excited, he walked along the rows with keen eyes, reading the titles. There were books about history, medicine, forensic science, potions, magic... some of the books about magic were magical themselves, hissing and growling, whispering, snapping at him. That was an unparalleled experience, not known in Asgard. Smirking, he focussed on his own magic and challenged the most dangerous book to open amicably in his hands. It reeked of dark magic.

Loki flipped through the pages but wasn't in the mood to actually read it now; it was the challenge he'd sought; the fun of it. He could imagine himself sitting in one of those comfy armchairs by the fireplace, and while away many a winter's night reading. But not today. Although he had stopped running and falling, he was still much too agitated to relax, was still far away from a peace of mind.

_Where was the witch? She was gone for a couple of hours already. It couldn't take that long to do some grocery shopping..._

It wasn't that she'd given him reasons to not trust her. He had hurled her across the terrace and instead of calling S.H.I.E.L.D she had given him a chocolate volcano. Damn. She really was a hard one to figure out.

Loki had just returned to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water when he heard her opening the front door, talking.

Was she bringing more _guests_?

But no, she was just talking on her phone, which she had cramped between shoulder and ear because she was carrying the basket in one hand and a bag in the other.

"Hey Loki," she greeted him, smiling, as she unceremoniously shoved the basket into his arms; it was much heavier than it looked. Still babbling on the phone, laughing, looking happy, she let herself drop onto the sofa and opened the bag to pull out a pair of shoes. Green, high-heeled sandals.

Loki was so perplexed he could only gape at her, the basket growing heavier in his arms, as he watched her putting on these shoes.

"… I bought shoes- Yes, I know I already have plenty of them, but a girl can never have enough shoes, and I've always been looking for green ones- Yes, love, everything's fine here. Loki's just helping me to unpack the groceries. He's already feeling so much better- we're getting on pretty well, don't worry."

She gestured him to put the basket on the counter. Since it seemed to be a reasonable thing to do (at least more reasonable than keeping it in his arms,foolishly gaping at her as she admired her new shoes while sweet-talking to her husband) he complied. Loki placed the basket on the counter and glanced inside.

Apparently it was a magical basket because it contained so much more than it's actual size would allow.

Finally, she stopped babbling and hung up.

Loki turned around to glare at her. "You lied to your dear husband."

"No."

"So you merely wanted to protect him from the truth?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm now.

The witch got up from the sofa and approached him, knowing exactly what he was hinting at. She tsked. "Would you have preferred me to tell him what you did last night? Do you want him to hasten all the way back from Kathmandu and hex you into next week? Well, you can have that if you really want to, but to what point and purpose? You agreed to not do it again, so I think we settled that."

_I merely agreed to not throwing you around... which doesn't mean I won't ever threaten you again, _Loki wanted to reply. Instead he bit his lip and kept his mouth shut. After all, the witch had saved him from S.H.I.E.L.D.

She brushed past him and started unpacking the basket. Soon, paper bags with fruits and vegetables were piling on the counter.

"Nice shoes," Loki said after a while. "Is that what took you so long?"

"Sort of. I went into five shoe stores on my way to the market- you know, buying shoes is almost therapeutic for a girl and will make her feel better in the end. But having to follow a suspect through all the shoe stores if probably the most tedious job for two agents of S.H.I.E.L.D-"

"They're still following you?"

Now the witch smirked at him. "Not anymore. They called Fury after the fourth shop and were never to be seen again when I left the fifth. He must have realized that a witch who's hiding a dangerous fugitive in her penthouse would not go on a shopping trip."

A smile curled up his lips... _she really is a clever little witch_.

"Oh, by the way, I brought you shawarma."

_...and she keeps her promises..._

Loki flashed her a polite smile before staring sceptically at the wrap she had handed him. It didn't look like anything spectacular. But he wanted to try it, so he took a tentative bite. It wasn't bad... it wasn't the height of cooking skills either. And most definitely, it was not worth the fact that Thor had handed him over to the mercy of S.H.I.E.L.D so that he could eat shawarma with his new best friends. Well, Thor had never been picky when it came to food; if he was hungry he'd eat everything...

He took another bite and the shawarma seemed to turn to ash in his mouth; it almost made him retch.

"He- he left me for... for _that?_"

"What?" The witch turned around to stare at him. "What's wrong, Loki?"

A shadow was creeping over him, and he was feeling completely, utterly lost. He dropped the shawarma on the counter and almost fled to his room, slamming the door shut.

ooOoo

_Damn! _Raven heaved a sigh. Considering Loki's reaction it wasn't hard to figure out that Thor hadn't left Loki at S.H.I.E.L.D central just that he could spend a couple of days with Jane. No, the reason was far more trivial and seemed to have something to do with shawarma.

She should have known it. She should have known it the moment he'd asked her what it is, and if she hadn't been so preoccupied with licking her own wounds, still feeling hurt because he'd treated her roughly last night, she might have got it.

Raven ran frustrated fingers through her hair, realizing that she was doing a sloppy job because she had lost her professional objectiveness somewhere along the way and was taking things much too personally. And there was nothing she could do about it.

She stowed the grocery in the fridge, filled the bowl with fruits, and poured herself a glass of wine. Then she lit a cigarette and pondered if knocking at his door would be a sensible idea. He might have calmed down by now.

She waited a few more minutes until she had finished her cigarette, then she went to his room and knocked discreetly.

"Go away!" Loki yelled.

"As much as I accept your wish, don't you think it might be better to talk about it? I understand you're feeling betrayed because your brother-"

"He's NOT my brother!"

"Okay. Your not brother Thor left you at S.H.I.E.L.D, but I'm certain he had no idea what they'd do to you. Remember, I talked to him? He gave me the impression he'd smash their central command with that big hammer of his, had he known of the torture. He thought-"

"Wrong!" Loki's voice cut her off. "Thor does not think. He's not capable of it. And besides, why should he care? I tried to kill him more than once."

"Oh!" She hadn't known that, but it didn't surprise her. Raven had already figured out that the relationship between the two brothers was a difficult one, and it had reminded her of the Black brothers- Regulus and Sirius- except for the fact that they'd never tried to kill each other.

"Well, nevertheless Thor said he misses his little brother sometimes."

Silence. With her back to the door, Raven slid down to a crouching position, waiting for him to reply.

"It's an illusion he's missing. Sentiments with no meaning. He never really cared. He doesn't even know me at all and I'm not his brother. He's stupid enough to believe I only have to give up whatever I'm doing and go home with him, and everything will be alright. But nothing will **ever** be alright again. I don't want to go back."

"Do you want to stay here?" Raven asked, but Loki didn't reply. She waited for a couple of minutes before she tried it again. "Come on, Loki, talk to me. By trying to put your feelings into words, you will have to focus on them, and perhaps then you will start to see things much clearer than simply allowing them to run amok inside your head."

She heard him laughing. Then, all of a sudden and totally unexpected, he opened the door and she tumbled into his room, landing on her back again.

"Ouch... I'm getting too old for this!" Raven winced while Loki was still laughing. She glared at him.

He sat down on the floor opposite of her with his back to the wall, while she was struggling to get into a sitting position, dragging her dress over her knees for a more decent appearance.

"You're a nuisance, little witch."

"I know. You're not the first to tell me that."

Loki chuckled. "Talking... well, that's not the way things go in Asgard. You don't sit together and talk, at least not about something as irrelevant as hurt feelings. Nobody wants to hear that. All they ever talk about are glorious battles and great adventures."

"What about your friends? Are they not interested-"

"What friends?" He sneered. "Do you mean those who found it beneficial to hang around with me because I was a prince of Asgard? Or do you mean those who befriended me so they could get closer to Thor? Asgard's golden boy- no matter what he does, no matter how idiotic it is, they still love him as much as they hate me. Oh, or do you mean those wonderful friends Thor inflicted upon me in his greatness? Those who always thought me his annoying little side-kick but kept on pretending they liked me to not hurt** his **feelings? Ooh, he so loved to have me around all the time, because I would make him shine even more, and I was _**always**_ living in his shadow, and he _**never **_gave me room to breathe.

"Those wonderful friends couldn't wait to turn against me as soon as Thor was banished to Midgard, forgetting that it was_** his**_ idiocy, his arrogance and recklessness that earned him Odin's anger. He always led them into danger and it was usually I who got us all back home safe, but I was always at the receiving end of their mockery."

"So he did something stupid and was banished to earth?"

"It was just a bit of fun to ruin his big day," Loki admitted. "I let some frost giants into Asgard to cause a stir during his coronation; I merely wanted to prove father that he wasn't ready yet. It was never my intention to get him banished for starting a war with the Jotuns, but there was no way of stopping him. I tried, but his lust for battle overpowered his meagre capacity of logical thought." He let out a bitter bark of laughter. "Three days. His banishment lasted three days. He fell from the sky right into the arms of that woman he fell in love with. He would have slaughtered all of the Jotuns with his bare hands but sacrificing himself for Jane Foster was enough to grant him redemption. I will never be that lucky."

Raven heaved a sigh. She still didn't know all that happened but compared to Thor's three days of punishment, Loki had definitely suffered worse. The Void, the Chitauri, the torture...

"You mentioned you were the rightful king of Asgard before you fell into the Void. Was that during Thor's three days with Jane?"

He arched a brow at her, amused of the way she had phrased the question. "Oh yes, the glorious days of my reign. The Allfather had fallen into the Odinsleep right after revealing the secret of my true parentage, Thor was banished and mother thought it a wonderful idea to make me king in the quietness of her chamber. No ceremony, no big fuss, no one who really cared about it or deigned to obey my commands. Our wonderful friends defied my orders, Odin's last command and Frigga's acceptance of it- _**she**_ didn't ask me to end Thor's banishment."

"Oh my, you really don't waste much time with talk in Asgard, do you?" She could still recall all the emotional turmoil he'd been through when he found out his whole life was a lie, and to imagine Odin just fell asleep at the end of the conversation, without granting Loki any real closure, and then being burdened with leadership while he was still emotional unstable...

"I told you so. There's no need to pity me."

"Sympathy, Loki. It's called sympathy. And although I believe your mother-"

"Frigga is NOT my mother!" Loki snapped.

"So she never rocked you to sleep, never sang you lullabies, never consoled you when you were hurt? Never made you feel loved?"

Loki bit his lips and glanced away.

"Then she is your mother even if she didn't give birth to you."

"She shared her magic with me." He said after a while. "I'm grateful for that gift. Even if that meant endless mockery because of the time I rather spent with her than on the training grounds.

"She trusted me... but I fucked it up."

"No. It was just the most inopportune timing. I think she meant well and only wanted to prove her love for you by making you king, but she should have realized how very broken you were. You were probably still struggling to understand who you are, trying to make sense of it all, and not feeling comfortable with yourself is a bad presupposition for good regency- especially when you had to face disrespect and disregard from the beginning."

"Ooh, you're always so understanding, aren't you?"

"Well, a little knowledge of the human nature comes in quite handy in my job- although, usually I'm pursuing criminals instead of harbouring them." Raven flashed him a smile.

"When you're interrogating suspects, do they tend to cooperate just to stop you from talking?" Loki smiled back at her.

"You let me in because you wanted to talk."

"Um, I opened the door to shoo you away. You fell into my room."

"Ah, so it's my fault, then?" She made no attempt to get up and leave. She wasn't in danger; he wasn't angry. Instead, he seemed to enjoy their little banter.

"I should have expected their refusal to obey my orders," he continued after a while, and clearly Raven hadn't pushed him. "They wanted Thor back by any means, and they wanted him to be king instead of me, despite him bringing us at the brink of war with the Jotuns. Even if I had succeeded in repairing the damage he'd done- but making peace with the Jotuns was not my top priority after knowing Odin's plans for me."

"His plans?"

"Ever since we were boys he told us we were both born to be kings but only one of us could ascend to the throne."

"Now, that's really the height of pedagogical brilliance! So he incited the rivalry between you and Thor from the beginning, even though he knew you'd never stand a chance to best Thor." _You took me for a purpose. What was it? _Raven understood immediately what Loki must have feared. "Oh bugger! He wanted to install you as the puppet ruler of Jotunheim after Thor's coronation, in order to unite the two kingdoms and ensure peace."

"I would have come full circle. Cast out onto a frozen rock once again." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Jotunheim is such a charming place, all thawing ice and darkness. Well, perhaps Odin would have provided me with the Casket of Ancient Winters so I could restore it to its former glory of solid ice and permafrost. I don't even like cold..."

"I'm beginning to understand why you don't want to return to Asgard."

Loki shrugged. "Oh, I doubt Odin's plans are an option anymore. I don't even know how much of Jotunheim still exists after I exposed it to the destructive powers of the Bifrost."

"You tried to destroy an entire realm, an entire race-"

"A race of monsters Thor would have killed with his bare hands. Even when he was a boy that was his greatest desire- to slaughter them all just like Odin did."

"Phew!" Raven got to her feet, shuddering ever so slightly. The temperature seemed to have dropped several degrees. "I could really use a drink now."

"Do I disgust you now, little witch?"

"Disgust is a very strong word. I.. I sort of understand why you did what you've done but that doesn't mean I approve of it."

She left his room and went to the kitchen to have another glass of wine and a cigarette. Yes, she was shocked about his act of cruelty, his lack of remorse. Then she recalled the image of him dangling above an abyss made of maelstroms of energy- _from the Bifrost?_\- and multicoloured nebula.

_'I could have done it, father...'_

_'No, Loki.' _

And he had let go, and he'd fallen into the Void.

Damn! Angrily she wiped the tears from her eyes. He had been raised with the idea the Jotuns were a race of monsters parents told their children about at night; he had been told stories of glorious battles in which Odin had slain hundreds of them- would he have acted differently if he had been brought up with the believe that even a Jotun's life was valuable? What did a life matter to a race of fearless warriors anyway? The Asgardians seemed to love battles... and Loki had made clear that he didn't usually share their attitude.

Why was it so much easier to come up with excuses for his behaviour than to condemn him for what he'd done?

_Because there is still hope. Because he isn't lost, yet. Because I refuse to give up on him. Because I hate to be wrong..._

With a sigh, Raven started to prepare dinner, hoping that cooking would help to take away the strain.

About an hour later, Loki entered the living room, slowly approaching the counter that separated it from the kitchen.

"You're cooking."

"A very astute observation," she mocked his remark in a light tone as she turned around to offer him a wry smile. "You didn't like the shawarma I brought you. I thought you must be hungry by now."

"Yes, but-"

Raven cut him off with a gesture of her hand, waving a wooden spoon at him. "I'm offering you dinner, not redemption. I cannot justify your actions. All I can do is to try and understand your motivation and put all the pros and cons on the scale. But in the end, it's you who has to live with what you've done. You alone will have to carry that burden."

With his lips pressed tightly together, Loki nodded and yet tried to smirk at her but failed. It looked strangely off, almost defeated.

She moved closer to him, placing a conciliatory hand on his arm while handing him a glass of wine.

"Go and sit on the terrace. I'm ready to serve the appetizer in a minute."

They had beetroot carpaccio with warm, honeyed goat cheese, baby spinach salad and pomegranate as a starter, followed by salmon with a lemony risotto and stir fried green vegetables.

Loki seemed to relax while eating, a smile was curling up his lips when creamy cheese met juicy pomegranate and beetroot, and he sighed with delight. The main course pleased him as well; the salmon's skin was crispy and it's flesh still glossy, juicy and tender, not overcooked. It was obvious to see he preferred such a menu over shawarma, and Raven liked to watch him savouring every bite.

It was so easy to tame the monster.

"What would happen to you, should you ever decide to return to Asgard?" She asked after a while. They had finished eating; she had refilled their wine glasses.

Loki took a sip of wine and shrugged. "If I'm lucky, Odin will kill me. If not... he will bind my magic, lock me up and throw away the key."

"So he calls himself the Allfather but shouldn't be allowed to raise kids- he really messed it up if one son lusts for battle so much he had to be banished to come to his senses while the other tries to prove himself and all the world that he's a monster. Wonderful."

He cocked his head to give her an amused glance, almost chuckling.

"You know, you should come to accept that you're not a monster... so stop behaving like one." Raven continued, but now he glanced away again, nibbling at his lips.

"Well, I might..." Loki got to his feet and started pacing the terrace. Raven watched him for a couple of minutes before she dared to ask if he was alright.

He turned to stare at her as though he had forgotten she was still there, which startled her.

"Hey, you're not trying to jump again, are you?"

"What?"

"I mean, like the first night here, when I found you at the edge of the terrace-"

"It wasn't my intention to jump. I was-" He frowned at her. "I don't remember."

Loki returned to his chair and sat down heavily. Raven tried to keep her curiosity in check, trying not to push him. He would talk to her, sooner or later, because no matter how much he pretended to be annoyed by her questions, he nevertheless appreciated the chance to tell his side of the story and being listened to without constant criticism. He might mock her empathy and yet he longed for that, though he'd never admit it.

It wasn't an unfamiliar situation for Raven. Severus had been just like that at the beginning, but she hadn't given up on him, had offered him friendship and love, never regretting the patience she had to bring up, never lamenting the many times of rejection... in the end, it had been worth all the trouble.

She reached for her phone, suddenly missing her husband, and typed a short message.

"It wasn't just me Thor left at S.H.I.E.L.D that day he went to have shawarma with his new best friends." Loki said after a while, just when Raven's phone was chirping. Ignoring the message on the display, she glanced expectantly at Loki.

"What else did he leave with them?"

"The Tesseract- don't you want to answer? Isn't that your dear husband sending words of love from distant Kathmandu?"

"What is that Tessa-thing? I remember you mentioned it before."

"Tesseract. It is called Tesseract. Do you want me to spell it to you?"

"Only if you think it may make more sense to google it instead of waiting for your answer."

He smirked. "You won't find it there anyway. S.H.I.E.L.D likes to keep their secrets."

"Tell me something new." She challenged him, typing quickly on her phone. She sent a message to Sev, explaining that she couldn't chat now, then she actually googled Tesseract, but there seemed to be no satisfying result, except that it was a four-dimensional analogue of the cube... well, it most definitely wasn't about a British progressive metal band called Tesseract T...

When she read the results to Loki, he couldn't help chuckling, probably thinking her absurd.

"It is actually a cube- and a source of unlimited power."

"Unlimited power? Power as in energy?"

"Forget the warm light to all mankind, little witch. S.H.I.E.L.D is so clearly not in the energy business, and neither am I. I used it as a portal- they were working on building an arsenal with it, and thanks to that stupid oaf who handed back the Tesseract to them, I believe they still do. Or do you think it was a coincidence that Jane Foster called the very moment Thor returned from eating shawarma? Was it pure generosity when Fury offered to fly her in?"

"Honestly?" Raven couldn't imagine Fury doing anything without a purpose and most certainly he didn't have a generous streak. "Didn't that smell fishy to Thor?"

Loki let out a bitter laughter. "It's Thor we're talking about! He doesn't think."

"Okay, I got that. But the Tesseract-"

"You mortals cannot possibly hope to control it in that idealistic way you're dreaming of."

"What a shame! Because if you had come to earth with that in mind, I would have knelt before you, willingly, supporting you. Mind, this world isn't perfect but it's the best we got and the very last thing it needs is another god to mess up things with even more fatalistic religious beliefs than we have already." Raven fell silent when she noticed him pacing the terrace once again, apparently lost in thoughts. "Loki?"

"It was S.H.I.E.L.D's work with the Tesseract that drew the Chitauri's interest to your world," he murmured in a low tone as if his voice was coming from very far away. "It's a doorway to other dimensions, and doors open both sides. You're lucky I opened it... and not _HIM_..."

ooOoo

"_HIM_? Who's he?"

"The Other."

Fractions of memories were slipping through his fingers like a handful of sand, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get hold of them, couldn't force them to become more than just vague memories of the time he'd spent with the Chitauri. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get hold on what was whirling though his mind, never lasting long enough to make sense... something about it was important, but as soon as he started digging deeper, a black curtain seemed to drop and cloud his recollection. He simply couldn't bring to a point what was troubling him.

"The Other?" The witch asked

_If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? You will long for something as sweet as pain..._

He could still feel the Other's fingers on his face, his neck, and that was enough to make him want to vomit, wondering what_ H_e had done to him or if he really wanted to know. There were gaps in his memories from the moment the Chitauri had found him in the Void until the bargain he'd made with them, out of desperation.

"Loki?"

He turned to stare at her, not really seeing her.

"Who's the Other?"

_If you fail, it the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? You will long for something as sweet as pain... _SLAP! Fingers on his face, cold and disgusting, digging in his mind

_Your ambition is little, born of childish need._

SLAP!

_The worm was monstrous. It came sliding closer, winding up his legs, crawling upwards, crushing his bones, suffocating him. Scales cutting into his skin like daggers, dripping poison into the wounds. A faceless, eyeless head- pale, just as pale as the Other's fingers- there was a slit... it opened and formed a lipless mouth with sharp teeth..._

"Loki!"

His name. The witch. Pulling him back. Saving him again. He was beginning to like her.

"He's the leader of the Chitauri... and..." He was panting heavily... _there was something, someone else... residing high above Chitauri space... a winding staircase leading up..._

_He might, or might not, have walked up there to meet...?_

He couldn't remember.

But then he remembered the light, a faint bluish glow in the darkness of Chitauri space- the same blue as the Tesseract and yet different. It was... _everywhere... _in the tiniest crevices between the rocks... particles flowing in the air... It was life, the Chitauri's life force. Ancient power, just like the Tesseract-

"LOKI!"

Finally, he was seeing her clearly. She was standing right in front of him, a witch with black hair swinging in a high ponytail, dressed in a casual summer dress.

"What?"

"Yeah, right. _What_? What the fuck is wrong with you? I mean, your eyes didn't turn blue this time but-"

"Blue?"

"Damned, they were blue- of a strange blueish glow- that day you were about to jump."

"I never intended to-" He bit his lips, recalling the very moment she was referring to. Very vaguely he remembered falling asleep after the wizard had set his fingers, and he'd been grateful for the relief of being almost painless in what felt like an eternity to him. But then, in his dreams, there had been this call. A call he'd just had to follow, and... in the end it had led him to the edge of the terrace, and he would have taken the final step, because...

_If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? You will long for something as sweet as pain..._

HIS voice again. The sceptre was calling out for him- the tool once given to him by the Other. Or had _**he**_ been made a tool of that sceptre, as the witch had suspected?

"Blue?" He asked again. "Blue like the eyes of Barton and Selvig after I made them my... _allies_?"

"It was hard to see in the footage I watched about your arrival on this lovely planet," the witch said pensively, "but now that you're mentioning it- yes, something did happen with their eyes; they seemed to change colour."

So he'd just been another pawn of the sceptre- a tool with a little more willpower than the mortals since the Other had not gained total control over him; he had given him plenty of rope to act, only tightening the reins occasionally to remind him of his promise.

But then it had ended. That night, that first night on this terrace, it had ended. If it was because she had pulled him back or because the Other had no use for him anymore, Loki couldn't tell... however, that didn't necessarily mean the Other had given up.

He must have found another fool ready to wield the sceptre. And that idea sent an icy shiver down Loki's spine, because both the Tesseract and the sceptre were still at S.H.I. .

"Damn!"

"What's troubling you?" The witch asked in a soft tone.

"The Tesseract... if they're still working on how to control its power like they did at Project Pegasus and the sceptre has found a new fool, the Other might be able to use it as a gateway just like I did. The Tesseract isn't safe with the mortals at S.H.I.E.L.D. Thor should have known that. He should have taken it and gone home to Asgard." Loki fell silent when he realized he'd spoken his thoughts out loud. Angrily he turned around, wishing he'd just keep his mouth shut and not get that chatty when a pretty face was around. Romanoff had used the very same trick on him, and although he had foreseen it- _ after whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm, and I would cooperate-_ he had fallen into her trap nonetheless, until she'd coolly thanked him for his cooperation.

Now, he almost expected to hear the same words from the witch. After all, she had really appeared to be a friend, had truly been a balm, and despite her being a nuisance, he had begun to... well, not explicitly to _trust_ her, but to open up to her more than he should have, and-

"Okay, so what can we do?"

"_We_?" Totally perplexed, Loki stared at the witch.

"Do you want to go through this all on your own? As far as I understood, the Tesseract isn't safe at S.H.I.E.L.D, because the Other has probably corrupted one of them with the power of the sceptre, and he's looking for a way to come to earth, kill you or worse, and take the Tesseract. Therefore, the Tesseract has to be removed from S.H.I.E.L.D central- preferably to a place where the Other can't get it, and since you don't seem to trust us mortals with the powers of the Tesseract anyway, it might be a good idea to let Thor take it back to Asgard as soon as possible. Admittedly, it won't be easy to convince him to leave without you, provided you're still unwilling to return, but we'll find a way." She returned to her chair and poured herself another glass of wine. "Did I miss anything?"

"What's the profit you hope to gain?"

"You mean, apart from preventing another alien invasion, this time led by the Über-Chitauri himself?"

It was a reasonable answer, nevertheless Loki frowned at her. He should be grateful for her offer... but accepting it would mean trusting her and he was still having issues with trust. Without sitting down, he took the glass of wine she handed him.

"Do you know if they're still keeping the Tesseract at S.H.I.E.L.D central here in New York?"

Loki took a sip of wine and shrugged. "As long as I enjoyed their hospitality, I could still feel its power radiating. I have no idea what happened then. Someone should talk to Thor and convince him to return to Asgard, then he would have to ask Fury for the Tesseract and probably he'd realize how very stupid it was to leave it at S.H.I.E.L.D in the first place."

He was pacing the terrace again, carrying his wine glass with him. Then he stopped to stare in the distance. It was late at night but this city never seems to sleep. There were blinking neon lights everywhere, and this sea of light was reaching for as far as he could see. Asgard appeared tiny compared to this. But he also saw an absence of light, almost like a crater of darkness, all around one particular building, a tower that had once been a beacon of self-adulation- now, only a shining A was left of its former glory.

A strange feeling of guilt was gnawing at him. He should have stopped it- _I couldn't let HIM know I wanted to stop it... what had taken Selvig so damned long?_

"Loki, is there anything I can do?"

He whirled around. The witch was really good in sneaking up on him; he had almost dropped his wine glass. He heaved an exasperated sigh.

"I know it's hard," she placed her hands on his arms, "but please trust me."

Her touch was warm and comforting. He cast his eyes to the floor, nibbling at his lip. She was right, it was hard.

"I know I'm just a witch; I don't have any super powers like the Avengers, but unless you do not intend to break into S.H.I.E.L.D and smash everything that gets in the way, I still might be of use."

"Thor's the one who prefers smashing things. I would prefer to come up with a more subtle plan. We need access to S.H.I.E.L.D's computer system."

She smiled and he realized he had said _we_.

"That's a good idea."

Loki glanced over the nightly skyline of Manhattan until his eyes fell on a particular tower once again. "And I know exactly who's going to help us."

"What?" Of course she had already figured out what he was up to. "You don't even trust me and now you want to ally with one of the Avengers of all people?"

"You mean, after I thoroughly managed to piss off every single one of them?" Loki chuckled darkly. "Well, I wouldn't ask the soldier or Banner- he's likely turn into a mindless green beast at the very sight of me. But Stark is... different. I should have accepted the drink he offered me. Alas, I was too busy, then."

"The fact that he offered you a drink doesn't make him trustworthy." The witch offered for consideration.

"Right. But he's got brains. And he's got Jarvis."

"Jarvis?"

"Stark's artificially intelligent computer system that acts like his personal butler. It controls everything in his home and even deployed his suit to catch his fall after I threw him out of the window."

"Wait- you threw Stark out of the window and now you're hoping he'll help us?"

Loki flashed her a smug smile. "You will talk to him and pique his interest. He cannot want the Tesseract being used again as a gateway for another alien invasion. Call him."

"You're sure?" The witch asked, but was already dialling a number on her phone. Not Stark's though. Instead, she seemed to be calling one of her assistants at the WIIA. "Hey, Rocco, I need Tony Stark's number. - Yes, that Tony Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man." She fell silent for a moment and then her phone was beeping, so she glanced at the display, nodding. "Okay, I got it. - No, I do not need to know his blood type, sharp tooth. You're annoying!- Oh, don't sunshine me 'cause sunshine gets you killed one day. Now hop back into your coffin. Thanks."

"Coffin?" Loki arched a brow at her.

With an apologetic shrug, she explained. "Stark's got Jarvis, we've got Rocco. Unfortunately, he's not AI but a vampire, and therefore not quite as effective. Nevertheless, he's good at his job- if he's not distracted with filing mail orders to all the blood banks of the world."

She paused to stare at her phone. "Loki, do you really want me to call Stark now?"

"Are you worrying about me, little witch?"

"Why, yes, of course. I didn't save you from S.H.I.E.L.D just so you can risk you're life again a few days later."

_Damn!_ Perhaps that was the point when he finally came to trust her, because her concern wasn't feigned; it was real.

"Well," he said coolly, hiding his emotions, "it's up to you to convince him that he must help you. You may leave my name out of it."

"Alright." The witch dialled the number and turned on the speakers of her phone so Loki could follow the conversation.

As expected, she first had to get past Jarvis, but she managed that with charm and conviction. He was impressed.

Then he heard Stark's voice, sounding slightly bored, just like an answering machine, telling her that consulting hours were every other Thursday between twelve and two, and please leave a message after the beep.

"Hi," she chirped, and the expression on her face told Loki she'd figured out Stark's little trick, which didn't stop her from leaving a cryptic message on his not answering machine. "You don't know me and my name doesn't matter anyway, but as it seems we have a common friend and he's from far away. He came to New York with this blue-eyed lass called Tessa, but she abandoned him and got in the bad company of guys who mean to prostitute her. She's very vulnerable, you know, and it might be sensible to free her and send her back home where she belongs-"

"Hold on!" Stark cut her off, all of a sudden not in the answering machine mode anymore. "Jarvis, is this a safe line? Who are you and what are you talking about? So, this is a safe line- I'm listening."

Loki grinned.

"Not on the phone. Safe line or not, I would prefer to talk to you in private. May I come over?"

* * *

thanks to ellennar for betaing. All remaining mistakes are mine but please keep in mind that English is not my first language. Nevertheless, I love feedback! Come on folks, you must have an opinion! Love it? Hate it? Let me know.


	6. Chapter 6

chapter 6

Tony Stark had agreed to meet her right away. Loki seemed to be pleased- perhaps a tad too pleased since there was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes when Raven told him to stay behind because she wanted to check the situation first, wanted to find out if the Iron Man would call S.H.I.E.L.D as soon as she mentioned Loki.

She could have Apparated to the terrace of Stark Tower, but considered it more polite to use the main entrance and ride up to his penthouse in his private elevator. Besides, he didn't have to know yet that she was a witch.

Raven checked her reflection in the mirror. She had put on some lipstick before leaving. Stark was known to be a playboy so the frustrated secretary look she used at S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't work on him; she had to give him some eye candy to gain his attention and, hopefully, his cooperation. She was very well aware of the fact though that she couldn't compete with all the beautiful starlets and models usually seen at his side.

The elevator stopped and its doors opened to a spacious, modern-style living room. Tony Stark was standing in the middle of it, giving her a cautious smile. It didn't reach his dark eyes.

"Good evening, Mr Stark." Raven said politely as she stepped out of the elevator. Of course she had seen Stark on TV before. He was a handsome man, and he knew that. The casual clothes he was wearing were understated and probably more expensive than they appeared.

"Hello, um... please call me Tony. I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name when you called."

"That might be because I didn't tell you." She smiled at him. "Anyway, I'm Raven."

"Just Raven, eh? Not Agent Raven or something like that?"

"I'm not with S.H.I.E.L.D if that's what you mean."

"Yeah, I suspected that. Your green shoes gave you away. Couldn't image anyone at S.H.I.E.L.D- um, would you like a drink? I'm having one." He went to the bar and poured himself a generous amount of dark amber liquid

Stark seemed to radiate an air of confidence but that was just for show. Inside, he was tense, strained. Just like the smile that didn't reach his eyes, he was hiding a lot of his true self, fears and worries behind a mask of certainty that could easily be mistaken for arrogance. Raven noticed that despite his tanned skin there were dark circles under his eyes, probably caused by lack of sleep.

"A glass of red wine would be nice."

"Red wine, red wine..." He disappeared from view behind the counter, apparently opening a cabinet. Then she saw his arm coming up, his fingers clutching the neck of a bottle. "Château Mouton Rothschild, 1989?"

Raven gaped at him. "Um, it doesn't have to be one of the world's most expensive wines. A simple Rioja will do just fine."

"Ah, you prefer Spanish wines?"

His hand went down again and Raven could hear the clinking of bottles; she also heard him mumbling in a low tone and assumed he wasn't soliloquising- after all, Loki had told her about Jarvis, Stark's AI. Probably he was already checking everything that could be found about her without even knowing her full name.

Then, Stark held up another bottle. "How about a Remirez de Ganuza Gran Reserva. It's said to be a favourite of the Spanish royal family."

Raven rolled her eyes but you don't complain about a pricey wine when you're invited by a billionaire.

"So you're not working for S.H.I.E.L.D," Stark came back from behind the counter, now holding a tablet in his hands, "Raven Snape, nee Lestrange, married to a certain Severus Snape. Degree in forensic science, New York crime laboratory, FBI-"

"Is there anything else you want to tell me about me? Because I happen to know my vita."

"What is the WIIA? How do you know about the Tesseract? S.H.I.E.L.D tried to keep that a big secret. You, um, mentioned a common friend?"

"Ah... yeah. Well, _friend_ was probably not the correct choice of words-"

"Right!" A very familiar voice cut her off as the door to the terrace opened and Loki came walking into Stark's living room with a smug expression plastered on his face. "I'm the one you still owe a drink."

Stark paled visibly at the sight of the Asgardian.

"Sir," Jarvis' impersonal voice came from the off, "Mr Loki of Asgard has just entered the building."

"Noticed that. Almost didn't recognize him-" Clenching his glass tightly in his hands, Tony glanced from Loki to Raven and back. "You look different without that glow stick of destiny. Jarvis! Deploy!"

"Tony, I swear there's no need to suit up. We're not here to threaten you." Raven hurried to say.

"_We_? As in you and he? You knew he'd be coming?"

"Um... no, I didn't know that." She glared at Loki. What part of _stay behind_ he did not understand?

"I merely accepted your invitation for a drink." Loki smiled at Tony. "I admit, it's a little late-"

"Last time I offered you a drink you threw me out of that window!"

"I remember. Well, you fixed it."

"I should bill you for it. And for the floor. It's very rare Italian-"

"I'm not to blame for the floor. I didn't ask to get smashed into it."

"Boys, stop that!" Raven stepped in between Loki and Tony before they could start a fight. "Tony, I told you we're not here to threaten you. We've got more important matters to discuss."

"If it's about another of his ill-fated attempts to become king of the world, please remind him that there is no throne for him." Tony pointed his finger at Loki. "I trust you as far as I can throw you."

"I believe I can throw you much farther; that doesn't necessarily mean I trust you more." Loki replied with a grin as he casually lounged in one of the nearest chairs.

"Boys, no throwing, no threatening, please."

"I didn't mean to threaten- I was merely making a jest." Loki put on a face of pure innocence.

"I must have missed the punch line."

"Um... I guess that was just the Asgardian way of saying I'm sorry for throwing you out of the window." Raven offered.

"What?" Loki frowned at her.

"What?" Tony was frowning at her, too.

At least they were both too stunned to consider bitching at each other, so it was a good thing.

"Alright." Tony said after a while, his face totally inscrutable. "I accept your apology. What do you want to drink?"

"Oh, just give me whatever you have." Loki pointed at the glass Tony was still clenching in his hand.

Tony stared into his glass and took a generous gulp of finest single malt whiskey, fifty years old, of the Macallan Fine and Rare collection. Then he shrugged and walked to the bar in order to pour a glass for Loki.

"You know, I'd really appreciate if you'd try to not complicate things deliberately." Raven took a seat next to Loki who merely arched a brow at her. She continued, "May I remind you that it was _your_ idea to ask Stark for assistance? I'm trying hard to pour oil on troubled water but I think it's just his curiosity that keeps him from calling S.H.I.E.L.D-"

"He won't call S.H.I.E.L.D." Loki insisted, sounding almost stubbornly.

"What gives you that idea?"

"He trusts Fury even less than he can throw me. I bet he already has Jarvis running a decryption program to break into S.H.I.E.L.D's secret files; probably he started it the moment you called."

Raven nodded. At least the last part made sense to her. "Anyway, please try to not provoke him. He seems to be a bit edgy when it comes to you, and I reckon you have given him enough reason to be. You really should have stayed behind and let me handle this first."

"I..." He bit his lip and fell silent again.

"Please trust me," she whispered.

Loki glanced at her with a wry, lopsided smile but was spared from having to answer to that by Tony, who was joining them again, handing the Asgardian a glass of whiskey.

"Thank you." Loki said politely before he sniffed at the dark amber liquid. Then he took a sip and seemed to be pleased. "That's good. I like it."

"Fantastic! He likes it. Did you hear that? He likes a fifty year old single malt whiskey worth a few thousand bucks."

"He's a gourmet." Raven agreed.

Loki took another sip and sighed contentedly. " Perhaps, I should have accepted your offer earlier."

"And then what? You wouldn't have called your army to wreak havoc on Manhattan because of Macallan?" Tony questioned him. "Why are you still here anyway, and not facing Asgardian justice?"

"Ask that oaf with the big hammer who claims to be my brother."

"Thor?"

Now, Loki heaved an exasperated sigh. "Please don't tell me you know more than one idiot who claims to be my brother."

Tony's lips twitched ever so slightly at that, but he tried to hide his amusement.

"Thor left Loki at S.H.I. the day he had shawarma with you." Raven explained. "Then he got stalled by Fury who- what a coincidence- suddenly had Jane Foster on the phone and offered Thor a visit."

"Fury playing cupid to keep love alive?" Tony wondered aloud. " Not likely. Did Thor really buy that?"

"Apparently, because he not only left Loki at S.H.I.E.L.D central but the Tesseract as well."

"Ah, the evil guys who mean to prostitute poor Tessa part. Yep, I knew it wouldn't be that easy- it's a burden being right so often. So the bugger hasn't given up Phase 2 at all- Jarvis, I need all that's new about Phase 2."

"What's Phase 2?" Raven asked

"S.H.I.E.L.D's attempt to build an arsenal with the Tesseract." Loki replied instead of Tony. "It's what drew the Chitauri's interest to Midgard."

"Ah, that. Project Pegasus."

"Indeed." Loki glanced at Stark. "And if they're still doing the same kind of research like they did at Project Pegasus, the cube can still be used as a portal, as a doorway to other dimensions, and doors open both ways-"

"Is that a threat? Are there more of your allies waiting for that door to open?" Tony cut him off, looking alarmed.

"It's a fair warning."

"I... um... I wouldn't call the Chitauri his allies," Raven chimed in, and although Loki was glaring at her, she continued nevertheless. "They are not the most friendly species of the universe and they-"

Whatever she was trying to explain, her words got silenced by thunder rumbling in the distance. All of a sudden, a flash lit the sky and rain started pouring down heavily. The distant rumble of thunder was getting closer...

Loki flinched.

Tony jumped to his feet and muttered. "Not Shakespeare in the Park all over again!"

From apparently out of nowhere, pieces of armour came shooting at him, covering his legs, arms and chest.

Thor appeared at the terrace of Stark Tower, making quite an entrance with his hammer held tightly in his hand, his red cloak billowing behind him. Unerringly, he stormed at Loki, whose whole attire had changed from casual Midgardian wear back to the leather and metal of his Asgardian uniform within seconds.

"Always dressed for the occasion, eh?" Tony quipped, while Raven groaned, "Oh please, not these silly horns... they're just too much."

Thor yelled. "LOKI! Stop threatening these mortals!"

"What the fuck-?" Totally perplexed, Tony glanced at Raven, who had drawn her wand but he didn't pay any attention to that when he grabbed her arm and dragged her behind the counter to protect her from unintentionally getting hit by Thor's hammer.

Meanwhile, Loki was still lounging casually in his chair. Or so it seemed.

But when Thor's hand shot forward in an attempt to seize his brother by the throat, his fingers fell through a very real projection of Loki.

Thor looked thunderous. "I am not in the mood for your games."

"It's not my fault you're so idiotic that you always fall for that."

Raven chuckled. Unlike Thor or Tony, she had seen his magic flaring up in a diffuse light, gold and green. And probably she was also the only one in this room who knew where the real Loki was hiding.

"Loki. Stop this!"

It was ridiculous. Thor was chasing after Loki but every time he managed to lay a hand on him it was just another projection.

"He's all over the place." Tony's eyes were wide. He was all suited up except for the faceplate. "How does he do it? Is that how he escaped S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"No, he couldn't; his magic was bound."

"Magic? There must be a better explanation- how do_ you _know anyway?"

"ENOUGH!" Thor roared, dropping Mjolnir in frustration. The sound of the hammer crashing on stone made Tony glance over the counter.

"Not my floor again! Do you know how difficult it is to import those tiles from Italy? So how did Loki escape?"

"Ahem, I might have been involved in that." Raven confessed.

"You? You do realize that cops are supposed to catch the criminals not spring them?"

"I never really considered myself as a cop; it's the investigative works that intrigues me, not the law- um, Tony, what are you doing?"

The Iron Man was crouching right in front of her. "Checking your eye colour. They're blue."

"Yep, always have been. And it's not a Tesseract blue."

"So why? Stockholm Syndrome?"

"No. Loki didn't manipulate me. It's just... well, there are lines you do not cross and I wasn't willing to wait for Amnesty International to deal with his case." Glancing at Tony, who had backed off a little, she heaved a sigh. "Ask Jarvis for footage of the surveillance cameras in S.H.I.E.L.D's detention area."

"Jarvis!"

"Sir, I sent the required files to your tablet. Would you like me to show them as projections instead?"

"No!" Raven said vehemently before Tony could answer. She nudged the Iron Man. "Whatever you get to see- and I know it's going to be nasty- Loki doesn't need to know that you saw it."

Tony frowned at her, then look around for his tablet. It was still lying where he had put in- on a table on the other side of the counter. He cursed under his breath.

Raven brandished her wand and muttered a Summoning Charm that let the desired item land right in the Iron Man's hands. Again, his eyes widened.

"There is no throne for you in this realm. Midgard is under my protection. You will give up your plan to subjugate the mortal world and come home with me." She heard Thor speaking in a demanding tone

"Home? Ooh, you mean the place where the heart is," Loki's voice was calm but dripping with sarcasm. "The place where I am so genuinely missed that Asgard is crying rivers of tears because I'm gone? Give me a moment to consider your request- um, I guess the answer is NO."

"You have no say in that, Loki. I gave my word that you will face Asgardian justice, and I will be true to my word."

"Well, you'll have to depart from it. Go home and tell Odin I will accept banishment-"

"Stop mocking me, Loki! Being banished, deprived of my powers, was a hard lesson for me."

"Was it? Really? You fell from the skies right into the arms of the woman you love, and you actually have the nerve to tell me that was a hard lesson? You don't know anything, Thor."

Raven noticed that Loki was getting angry. Of course he wouldn't tell Thor about the Void, about the Chitauri; he was too proud to try and make him understand what he's been through.

That moment, Tony muttered, "And I always thought Legolas was one of the good ones..."

"Legolas? Ah, Barton."

Watching the footage had made Tony pale visibly; he switched it off, apparently sickened. "I know it's not right but I almost feel sorry for him."

"Just don't let him hear that-"

"Go home and leave me alone!" Loki's voice was getting louder. "I'm beginning to like Midgard. Hot showers, good food and wine, and much better drinks than the horribly sticky mead."

"Loki, ENOUGH! You cannot stay here. I won't let you-"

"And I'm tired of you telling me what to do. Leave. Me. Alone. Go home- ooh, but you can't go home, right? The Bifrost is still destroyed and you were foolish enough to leave the Tesseract at S.H.I.E.L.D. Do you really believe Fury will give it back to you?"

"Why? Yes, of course." Thor replied with an ingenuousness that made even Tony groan and roll his eyes.

Loki was laughing; it didn't sound amused. "You're even more an idiot than I ever thought. What a convenient circumstance that lovely Jane called just the very moment you came to retrieve the Tesseract, wasn't it?"

"Leave Jane out of it." Thor picked up his hammer again. No one but him seemed to understand the point and purpose of his action since it was obvious that Loki wouldn't meet him in person. "This is just between you and me, brother."

"I'm NOT your brother!"

"LOKI!"

"Okay, enough of that!" Raven decided. Perhaps it was madness- Tony seemed to think it was- to leave the safety of their hiding place behind the counter and approach Thor. The God of Thunder was furious, but she knew he wouldn't smash an innocent, unarmed woman into Tony's precious floor. "Please put down your hammer, take a deep breath- hey, let's all take a deep breath, okay?"

Thor stared at her, totally flabbergasted, but he actually dropped Mjolnir. From the corner of her eyes, Raven saw Loki slithering behind the counter where Tony was still sitting on the floor. Probably, both of them were in need of another drink because she saw the Iron Man's hand reaching up for the flask of Macallan.

"Thor, why don't you sit down? Let me just ask you a very simple question. Assumed, Loki returned to Asgard with you, would he get a fair trial?"

"I don't understand." Thor shot her a perplexed look and actually sat down in one of the chairs. "Odin will dispense justice on him."

"I guess that means no." Raven decided with a shrug.

"You dare to question the wisdom of Odin Allfather?"

"Um... well, yes, I do indeed. Due to Odin's relationship with Loki, being his foster father, he is too involved to guarantee him a fair trial with an unbiased jury and an advocate that will speak in his favour, defending him."

"What?" Thor gaped at her, not quite grasping what she was talking about.

"Well, that's how things work in a civilized world." Raven explained to him. From behind the counter, she heard Tony and Loki clinking glasses. "We give even the worst culprit a chance to defend himself. Now, try to think about what sentence Loki would have to face should he return to Asgard with you."

"Although he is beyond reason I still hope there's still some good left in him, but he deserves punishment for his crimes."

"Probably. But that's not up to you to decide." She remembered the state Loki was in, so horribly battered and bruised, before she had helped him escape S.H.I.E.L.D, and she thought he had suffered enough. Especially when considering the prelude- the Void, the Chitauri- but she wouldn't tell Thor. He probably meant well but Loki was still on the run from him, still trying to get out of his shadow. There was no point in trying to mediate between them; it was too early for that. "You gave up your responsibility when you left him at S.H.I.E.L.D for a week- muzzled, cuffed, his magic bound so he couldn't even heal from the Hulk's attack- while you were having a romantic interlude with Jane Foster. Do you actually believe that is a good basis for him to have trust in you?"

"I... um... I didn't know that." Thor's face dropped; he looked like a puppy that had been beaten. "I thought it was safe to leave him at S.H.I.E.L.D... Brother, can you hear me? I'm truly sorry."

"That's just so typically you," Loki replied from behind the counter. "Whenever you try to think, you fail. The fact that you left the Tesseract with them just proves your incompetence."

"S.H.I.E.L.D was looking for a way to deprive Loki of his magic," Raven continued, "that's what Fury contacted the WIIA for."

"What's the WIIA again?" Tony asked.

"Wizarding Investigation and Intelligence Agency-"

"I always hear magic and wizarding and you're fidgeting with that little stick of yours- admittedly, it's not as impressive as the glow stick of destiny, nevertheless I'm wondering whether you're the Wicked Witch of the West or the Good Witch of the North."

"Yes, I'm a witch. But this is not the Wizard of Oz, Tony. It's reality. Magic exists. In fact, there is a whole world, a parallel society, living next to yours, and you're totally unaware of it. Mainly, because we prefer to keep it that way and stay away from the Muggle world..."

"Muggle?"

"Their term for not magical humans." Loki informed him.

"And Fury knows about all that hocus-pocus?"

"Hocus-pocus? Actually, being a witch isn't any weirder than aliens attacking New York City or the fact that I'm talking to an oversized tin can while enjoying the company of two gods from Norse mythology, one of them looking like an abandoned puppy with a hammer and the other is playing Minotaur- you guys are really exhausting." Raven heaved a sigh. "It would be cool if this night won't end in a Greek tragedy. Perhaps we should focus on the Tesseract again?"

Thor was the first to agree. "She is right. I will talk to Fury tomorrow and ask him to return the Tesseract, so we can go back home."

"Fantastic idea!" Tony cut in. "I'm certain he'll feel obliged to follow your polite request." Then he muttered to Loki. "I think you've been too subtle when mentioning you don't want to return to Asgard with him."

Loki chuckled darkly. "Subtlety ended the day he was born."

"So what's your big plan now, Minotaur?"

"Well..." Loki fell silent for a moment. Raven saw the faint flicker of light, then he emerged from behind the counter, dressed in casual Midgardian clothes again. "If Fury returns the Tesseract to Thor, I will go back to Asgard with him."

Thor beamed at him. "Finally, you've come to your senses again, brother!"

Tony glanced over the counter at Raven, frowning. She smirked at him. Of course, it was unlikely that Fury would voluntarily return the Tesseract to Thor, and Loki knew that. He hadn't changed his mind at all; he had simply found a way to put an end to Thor pestering him.

"Um, I guess drinks are in order now." Tony decided then. "What can I get you, Goldilocks?"

That very moment, Jarvis' impersonal voice came from the off, informing Tony he now had full access to all of S.H.I.E.L.D's top secret files.

"Alright, then!" Tony clicked his fingers, and all of a sudden there were holographic projections all over the room. With his glass in his hand he moved closer. Loki followed him immediately.

Raven was impressed when she noticed how advanced his technology was. They were using a similar technology at WIIA, but similar wasn't good enough- and this was working without magic. She rose to join Tony and Loki.

"We should leave this to the mortals." Thor decided, addressing Loki. "We don't know enough about their technology."

"You don't." Loki agreed,, already knowing what to do or how to handle the projections. "I'm learning."

He scrolled down a screen titled _Project Pegasus_, quickly skipping the text for news.

"Loki, let's go!" Thor sounded impatient.

"Go? Go where, precisely? May I remind you that you don't have the Tesseract yet?"

"True, but..."

"But what, Thor? Do you want me to come with you now, holding your hand while you're cuddling with dear Jane? Is that what you want, Thor? When will you ever think before you open your mouth!"

Tony tried hard to not look amused, staring at the screen, pretending to be focussed, but Raven saw the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.

"I... I merely wanted to offer you a place to stay." Thor said, looking crestfallen. It was obvious he meant well, but Loki was simply not interested. His defences went up with every word Thor uttered and it wouldn't take long until his anger flared up again.

"I have a perfectly fine place to stay, thank you very much."

"Right!" Raven cut in. She wanted Thor to leave before anything happened that would lead to an Asgardian grudge match in Tony's penthouse, smashing his precious Italian tiles in the process. "As a WIIA agent and therefore responsible for all magical related crimes and culprits, Loki will remain in my custody until you have retrieved the Tesseract from S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I wish I could trust you, witch-"

"Her name is Raven!" Loki snarled at Thor. "Don't call her witch!"

"What?" Raven gaped at him. "Is this really happening?"

"My apology, Lady Raven." Thor said to her. "I didn't mean to offend you, but you and your organisation are not known to me-"

"WIIA, founded in 2008 by_ Auror_\- sort of magical super cop- Alice Steel, long-standing consultant of the FBI, CIA, Secret Service and some others, including S.H.I.E.L.D. A non governmental organisation, dealing with supernatural, mostly magically related crimes, approved by the government of the United States, the EU and the UN." Tony listed what he had found out about the WIIA. He shrugged. "Officially, there's nothing fishy about her... well, except for the fact that she's a witch and I don't believe in magic; I think it's just science we don't understand yet... Anyway, she's okay."

Raven flashed him a wry smile. From the corner of her eyes she saw Loki glaring at her, probably feeling betrayed because she had told Thor he was in her custody. But if he was clever, he'd figure her out.

"We fought together, Iron Man, therefore I will trust your word. Although Odin would want me to-"

"Odin has no legal right to decide on this; I have." Raven interrupted Thor in a sharp, annoyed tone. God or not, she really wanted to hex him into next week. Y_es, he means well_, she kept telling herself, _but he's just so goddamned annoying..._

Thor shrugged and glanced once more at Loki.

"Just give me a call when Fury has returned the Tesseract to you." Loki said smugly.

"Give you a call?" Thor seemed to ponder about that, then it dawned upon him. "Oh, you have a phone?"

"No." Loki smirked at him; it was a mocking smirk. "But you don't have the Tesseract yet."

Thor grabbed his hammer tightly and turned to leave.

"Oh, and please switch off the rain when you go." Raven called after him. But if she had hoped that things would calm down after Thor had left, she got disappointed.

"You lied to me."

Loki's words sent her over the edge.

"Are you being accusatory for a purpose? I've so had it with you Asgardians and super idiots! Ever since I met you, I lied to everyone but you, Loki, just to save your sorry arse. I'm growing weary of this fucking shit! Time out!"

Tony and Loki were exchanging confused glances, but Raven didn't notice. She walked out of the room and onto the terrace, still fuming inwardly. Fortunately, the rain had stopped. She lit a cigarette and inhaled, trying to calm down again.

_thanks to my lovely beta, ellennar._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The peaceful moment didn't last long. Raven hadn't even finished her cigarette when Loki appeared at her side, and she opened her mouth to snap at him, telling him to leave her alone, but he surprised her by handing her a glass of wine.

"Tony said you could probably use a drink..."

"Ah, Tony said that? How very considerate of him." She snatched the glass from his hand and took a long, greedy gulp.

"Yes, but I took the risk."

"Oh, you think I'm dangerous? If that's supposed to be a compliment you can save your breath."

"Dangerous is probably the wrong word. You're a fierce one and I like that."

"You'll be the death of me- and no, don't you dare to smile at me now. You're an insufferable, manipulative jerk-"

"But you like me."

Raven rolled her eyes, wondering why her anger had so suddenly disappeared. Probably it was because he could be quite charming sometimes, when he smiled at her like that. "Don't make me regret that."

"Agreed. Tony said I'd better not fuck things up with you because you saved me from S.H.I.E.L.D and you're giving me a second chance he's not certain I deserve. By the way, what were you showing him? You think I didn't notice because I was playing hide and seek with the oaf, but I did."

"I didn't show him anything. He asked me why I sprang you from prison when it should be my job to keep you locked away, and I told him what he should be looking for to understand my motive."

"You're good at twisting words, aren't you?" Then Loki paled visibly. "He _saw._..?"

"Yes, and he was disgusted. But before you freak out because of that, let me explain and _**listen**_ to me, Loki. You wanted his help, and I ensured you'd get it. Not because he pities you, but- how much do you know about Tony Stark? Did you know that he was once held captive in a cave in Afghanistan, tortured by terrorists who were keen getting their hands on his weapon technology? So swallow your pride and simply accept the fact that he sympathizes with you now, which is a much better basis for cooperation than the memory of you throwing him out of his window."

Biting his lip, Loki stared into the distance. Raven reached out for him and placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"You're probably right." He said after a long moment of silence, glancing through the high window panes to where Tony was standing- now without his Iron Man suit- watching holographic projections of S.H.I.E.L.D's secret files. "I need his resources if I want to find out where S.H.I.E.L.D is hiding the Tesseract and what happened to the sceptre. Aside from that, I appreciate his honesty- which doesn't necessarily mean I trust him- but he's following his own agenda, and he's not an easy to one to be manipulated or corrupted; he's not a pawn of S.H.I.E.L.D. So, let's go back inside."

Tony looked up the moment they entered the room, smiling ever so slightly.

"You're on friendly terms again? Great! Admittedly, things went a little rough when Thor was around- I still don't get how Asgard survived centuries of you two growing up together; you're like cats and dogs. Mind, I really appreciate his hammer when it comes to fighting aliens invading New York, but is he really dumb enough to believe in your little cheat? You have zero intention of returning with him."

"Ooh, you noticed my reluctance?" Loki asked in a mocking tone. "And I thought no one ever listened to me."

"Well, we do, obviously." Raven offered.

"He's an idiot to believe it can ever be like it used to be. I don't even want that! I'm so sick and tired of living in his shadow, trying to be his equal, trying to please Odin and get recognition- I don't care anymore. He's not my father."

"Ah, yeah, someone mentioned you're adopted." Tony said, but Loki cut him off immediately.

"_Adopted_ is such a nice word, suggesting someone wanted you."

"Hey, I know it sucks when you don't get recognition- my father was cold and calculating; he never told me he loved me or even liked me, and for a very long time I thought his happiest day was when he sent me to boarding school. Only later I found out that he simply wasn't good at expressing emotions...well, except when he was gushing about the world's first super hero. You've met him, the soldier from another time."

"I remember." Loki sneered. "But you're missing the point here- Odin was knee-deep in Jotun blood when he found me and he didn't take me because I was an innocent child; he took me for a purpose. I was no more than another stolen relict, locked up there until he had use of me. He even admitted that! All of my life he told me we were both born to be kings but only one of us would ascend to the throne, and I always took that as a challenge; I wanted to prove him I was the worthier son, not as reckless and arrogant as Thor, and yet he _always_ favoured Thor. Everyone favours Thor! He farts and everyone applauds. But it was then I realized he could never have a frost giant sitting on the throne of Asgard; he had meant to make me king of a frozen rock for the sake of eternal peace."

"A frost giant?" Tony's eyes scanned Loki from head to toe; it was obvious to see he didn't really consider him a giant.

"Did Thor not tell you of my true parentage?"

"Um... we didn't really have time for a nice long chat amongst buddies. You kept us too busy. So what are frost giants?"

"Monsters..."

"Is that why you tried so hard to be one?"

"Oh shut up, both of you. You're not a monster, Loki, even if you-" Raven interjected, then she fell silent for a moment and continued. "You know, I'm wondering how Odin knew you're Laufey's son?"

"What?" Loki stared at her, totally shocked since he seemed to guess what she was hinting at.

"Well, Odin said he found you in a temple, cast out and abandoned. But unless the Jotuns are so savage that they sacrifice unwanted babies to please their war gods, I still prefer to imagine a temple as a sacred place where you'd hide something or someone for protection- Oh shit!" She noticed how very pale Loki had become and reached out for his shoulder to give it a soothing squeeze. "I'm sorry, Loki. I shouldn't have started this."

"True, you always come up with thoughts that really make me feel better." He said in a snarky tone.

"We only know Odin's side of the story, and it might be true- or not, and he's the real monster."

"Hold on for a mo, let me try to understand what you're talking about." Tony said, frowning at Raven. "How do you know? You couldn't possibly have been around-"

"I saw his memories."

"Technically, not possible."

"Magically, it is." Raven countered.

Tony shook his head, then he glanced at Loki. "You do realize that having issues with daddy is no excuse for wreaking havoc on another planet, or to start a war and kill Phil."

"Tony is right. So, Loki, don't you want to tell him about the sceptre?"

"Finally we're back on topic. We have to find that damned sceptre and the one who's wielding it now, before he can use the Tesseract to open a portal for the Other to come to Midgard and-"

"The other? So there **are** more of your allies coming to pay a visit?"

"Argh! Why the hell do you guys always have to complicate things?" Raven wanted to tear out her hair in frustration. "I told you already that the Chitauri are _**not**_ his allies, and not all of them are mindless clones, a mixture of reptiles and machines, that drop dead when their mothership, the source of their energy, is destroyed. There is at least one Über-Chitauri, their leader. I don't know if he's called the Other because he's different, but Loki met him when the Void spit him out in Chitauri space, and after whatever else happened there, he gave Loki that sceptre as a tool to turn him into a tool-"

"Whoa- wait a minute," Tony broke in, "Are you saying Frosty was being controlled by the glow stick of destiny?"

"I wasn't." Loki snapped, then frowned and admitted. "Not totally. I still had some moments of clarity. Let's say I was heavily influenced."

"Just like you _heavily influenced_ Barton and Selvig?"

"No, that's different. I merely switched their loyalty and used their abilities. I helped Selvig to focus on scientific research by sharing my knowledge with him, and I used Barton for what he's good at. Don't worry about the virtue of a skilled assassin. He would have done exactly the same things had Fury given the orders. I didn't direct his every move. I gave him free rein to do what served me best, and when Selvig said he needed iridium, it was Barton who knew how to get it-"

"Which led to your act in Stuttgart," Tony recalled.

"Ah... that." Loki had the nerve to grin at the memory. "Well, that was just for fun. I wanted to see how far I could go-"

"You were about to kill an innocent old man just for the fun of it, only because he stood up against you and dared to defy you."

"I threatened him." Loki corrected Tony. "'twas never my intention to kill him, but-" he fell silent for a moment before admitting, "The sceptre has a will of its own."

"So it was also the will of the sceptre that made you kill Phil?"

"He threatened me with an enormous weapon and didn't even know what it would do!"

"Ooh, you were scared? Now that explains-"

"I wasn't scared!" Loki insisted in a sharp, almost stubborn tone. "I was... concerned. I had to defend myself."

"You stabbed him in the back! That hardly qualifies as self-defence." Tony said sternly. "And don't tell me you were instead trying to hide behind Phil but the sceptre developed a will of its own."

"Well, to me it seems the sceptre reacts to emotions." Raven gave to consider and both men turned to stare at her as if they had forgotten she was still there. She continued. "It fuels your anger and and feeds on your fear, thus it brings out the worst of you."

"You really want to blame it all on the sceptre?" Tony frowned at her.

"No, not all of it. I'm just looking for answers."

"Well, so do I. I just don't find them satisfying."

"Then, perhaps, you should start asking the right questions. If the Chitauri are not Loki's allies, what was he doing there? How did he get to that dead end of space?"

"You said the _Void_ spit him out there." Tony recalled, and he blanched ever so slightly when his own memories of falling through the wormhole made it superfluous to ask what the Void was. It was what kept him awake at nights; it was what almost triggered an anxiety attack, and he had to try hard to remember how to breathe.

Raven moved closer to him, pointing a finger at his chest. "You can't sleep because you stayed up there for how long, precisely? Minutes? Or was it just seconds before you fell out of the wormhole back down to earth? Don't get me wrong, Tony, I don't want to diminish your traumatic experience, but Loki, broken as he was already after the revelation of his true parentage, was cast out into that nothingness, drifting for months, almost a year, before the Chitauri found him, and whatever they did to him, it made him desperate enough to close a bargain with the Other."

Tony was breathing heavily, but he refrained from the urge to suit up just to feel safe. Instead, he rasped. "I need a drink. Anyone else?"

Without waiting for an answer, he refilled his glass and downed it. Then he glanced at Raven. "How did you know?"

"I've been watching you. Microexpressions, body language... but even without that it's hard to not notice the dark circles under your eyes."

Tony helped himself to another glass of scotch; this time, he also refilled Loki's glass and handed it to the Asgardian. The gesture came close to a peace offering, as if he was beginning to understand what Loki had been through.

He frowned at Raven. "Microexpressions- that's not even a proper science."

"I agree, it's just as debatable as the use of _Veratiserum_, but in combination with a gentle touch of _Legilimency_ it's quite effective, actually." She replied.

"What?"

"I assume- given that she's a witch- she is speaking about the magic of this realm, although I'm not yet familiar with the terms of mortal magic." Loki explained smugly.

"Hocus-pocus... damn, I can't blame Legolas for giving you a good beating to wipe that smug smile off your face. But he got carried away and went too far-"

Loki clenched his fists, though not in an aggressive manner. It was obvious to see he was just feeling very uncomfortable with this conversation. After a moment of silence, he asked cautiously. "That man you called Phil... was he a friend of yours?"

"He was an idiot. He shouldn't have tried to take on you alone. He should have-" Tony paused and finished with a bitter edge. "He was a good man."

"You do realize that even if I'd say I'm sorry, it wouldn't change a thing? I cannot undo what I've done."

That was as close to an apology as Loki was ever willing to give, and in the end he was right. Speaking out the words _I'm sorry_ wouldn't change a fucking thing. Phil Coulson would remain dead, as well as all the other casualties that fell victim of his ill-advised plan. He would have to live with that. No one could ever take that weight off his shoulders.

And yet, in spite of that, there was still hope for him. It showed in the face of his former enemy, who was willing to give him the benefit of a doubt. Not forgiving, not forgetting, but not reluctant to put aside the blame for a while, either.

A smile curled up Raven's lip as she watched the two guys who were so very different but seemed to have so much more in common than expected. Both of them had suffered from their overbearing fathers, constantly striving for recognition, but only Tony had succeeded in finding his own way.

Tony Stark, the genius. Billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Iron Man. The popular guy, the darling of the media. Volatile, self-obsessed, not playing well with others, according to S.H.I.E.L.D. And that was just listing some facets of personality he displayed in public.

Raven assumed that only a very few people knew who Tony Stark really was. He was not the kind of guy who talked about his feelings- he'd wrap them in a joke, make a jest, and hide away in his lab for some tinkering.

Loki, however, was much too emotional for his own good. He might mock others for their sentiments, but if someone hurt him he'd lash out mercilessly- which had landed him in this mess. Apparently, the sceptre had messed with his emotions, had increased his anger, his fear, triggering some extreme reactions.

It surprised her, though, how willingly he seemed to tolerate Tony chiding him. Of course, Tony was right, and he had every reason to mistrust Loki, even every reason to hate him. But he had chosen otherwise, probably out of curiosity- and probably he could give the Asgardian a gentle shove in the right direction, because Loki had come to like him. And that shouldn't come as a surprise to Raven, given that Tony was everything that would naturally intrigue Loki... well, perhaps it was mainly the fact that he was so totally not like any Asgardian. Although Tony Stark knew how to fight, he didn't treasure that above anything else. It was rather his sharp intellect and dark humour that Loki liked. Or because Tony had offered him a drink...

Anyhow, both of them would likely benefit from making the first few tentative and cautious steps towards friendship. Raven watched them drinking, sticking their heads together, talking quietly, and she decided to leave them alone for a while and to focus her attention on the holographic projection of S.H.I.E.L.D files that were still up in midair.

Unlike the FBI or the CIA, S.H.I.E.L.D was an agency she was not really familiar with, and Raven was keen to learn more about the structure of this organisation. Of course, everything was top secret, and there were different levels of clearance for every member of S.H.I.E.L.D. She found out that most of the Avengers were level six, except for Captain America and Tony Stark... latter only because he- or Jarvis- was clever enough to hack into level ten and therefore into all the secrets Director Fury was trying to keep.

She was impressed, especially since Jarvis had managed to make the intrusion untraceable. If Jarvis was a real person, she'd bow her head to him. Since he wasn't, he kept her approval of his skills to herself and focused on Erik Selvig's notes about the Tesseract instead.

Very soon, however, she came to realize that his notes were like a closed book to her. Scrolling down chart after chart of equitations- the Muggle way of attempting to explain the world by the means of mathematics and physics using variables to set up rules. But she was a witch, and magic was like the abrogation of these rules; it was ever-changing, not to be bent by variables.

She was a witch. Selvig was an astrophysicist. It was like two worlds colliding, leaving her standing there like a total dunderhead. Alright, she could probably calculate the drift of a bullet, some basic stuff she'd learned when studying forensics, but astrophysics or thermonuclear science were far above her understanding, like a riddle wrapped up in an enigma.

Staring mindlessly at numbers that didn't make any sense to her, Raven finally noticed something that did when she came upon some handwritten notes of Selvig that S.H.I.E.L.D must have scanned for the sake of completeness. Probably, they didn't even mean much to S.H.I.E.L.D- but she saw something in them that seemed to be worthy to share with Loki and Tony.

"Guys, take a look at that. What do you see?"

Tony moved closer, studying the notes with a frown on his face. Then he shrugged. "Selvig's notes before he noticed he needed iridium as a stabilizing agent to break through the coulomb barrier and-"

"I don't understand what you're talking about." Raven cut him off.

"But I do." Loki grinned at Tony. "However, I guess you can't impress her with your technique-babble. She noticed something else entirely. Is that correct?"

"Um... yeah. Look at Selvig's notes. He was unfocussed for most of the part- you see it the way he scribbled, crossed out things, started anew, made a note to call Jane- but then he finally seemed to get his act together. His writing is much clearer, more determined..."

"I assume he wrote this after I expanded his mind." Loki said.

Tony groaned.

"What? I influenced his research by giving him access to ancient knowledge and-"

"And in the end he outwitted you by building in a safety to cut the power source."

Loki arched a sophisticated brow at Tony. "Ah, and you think that was Selvig's fabulous idea? Maybe he was a great scientist, once. He certainly has potential, but he prefers to waste it away for his love of beer. He's a drunkard in a lab coat. I gave him new purpose. I helped him to focus. I gave him the chance to be a great scientist again, and I told him to build in the safety."

"You?" Tony asked incredulously.

"Yes. Of course. The Chitauri lack finesse; I didn't want them to destroy the realm I meant to rule." Loki turned around and walked to the window, staring outside. In a more quiet tone he continued, "I didn't want the Other to come here..."

"So, this Other guy- he's after the Tesseract? Is that all he wants?"

"Isn't that reason enough?" Loki snapped, hitting the window pane with his flat hand as if squashing an invisible fly, before he shook his head and admitted grudgingly. "He also has unfinished business with me."

"Oh, another one in a long line! Tell me, Frosty, is there anyone in the universe you have _**not**_ pissed off?"

Loki actually pondered that question for a moment, then he turned to face Tony and said with a lopsided smile. "There are realms I haven't visited yet."

Tony tried hard to keep up a stoic face but failed. In the end, he couldn't help chuckling. "Now that was a good one."

Raven chuckled, too. "Well, for the record, he hasn't managed yet to piss me off. Not totally, at least."

"Ah, and what's your secret? Meditation? Hocus-pocus?"

"Understanding." She said curtly.

"Remind me to try that one day. But- you mentioned the Other is their boss, sort of an Über-Chitauri, and probably more advanced than the rest of them. When did you become an alien expert?"

"I'm not. It's just... one of them crashed into Sev's greenhouse while Edie and I were sunbathing, and it was obvious it didn't stop by for a coffee. Instead, it attacked immediately after falling from the sky. I had to protect my friend, a Muggle, and myself, so I fought it. Interestingly, the Chitauri seem to be immune to the Killing Curse- which would have caused a stroke- but it died when I severed off its arm. Later, I had it taken to Headquarters where I autopsied it the day after. It was fascinating-"

"Whoa! You kept a souvenir and- you have weird hobbies, eh?"

"If you want to put it that way, yes. I told you it's the investigative work that intrigues me most, and medical examination is probably the most interesting part of it. At first glance, the Chitauri appear to be of a very weird humanoid species with reptile influence, and indeed they have the three-chambered heart of reptiles, but instead of two atria there are wires not running blood but energy."

"I already assumed they were powered by their mothership because they dropped dead the moment it exploded." Tony recalled.

"It's the same energy that powers the sceptre... ancient power... a blueish glow that's everywhere in Chitauri space." Loki explained, shuddering ever so slightly at the memory. "It's the only light in that dead end of space where they got stranded, aeons ago. They need the Tesseract to get away from there, back to the world of the living... and I... I promised to get them the cube." He shrugged nonchalantly. "But I never intended to give it to them."

"Just out of curiosity- do you ever intend to keep any of your promises?"

"Do you think I should, metal head? And if you're referring to me lying to Thor- well, he's an idiot..."

"Yeah, I got that. But I want to know whether I can trust you if you never keep your word."

"You'd be a fool to trust me." Loki left his place by the window and approached Tony, stopping right in front of him. "How about you, Stark? Do_ you_ always keep your word, no matter what?" Without waiting for a reply he continued. "Barton told me about that incident in Afghanistan, when you were being held captive by terrorists, and they tortured you so you would give them the weapon technology they desired. Did you cave in? Or did you try to outsmart them, pretending to be cooperative to save your own skin, instead of dying a heroic death and taking your secrets to the grave? You built your first suit in that cave. Because you wanted to get away from them, you wanted to survive. And you succeeded."

"Yeah, true- but why is this about me now? I took the consequences. The day I came home I held a press conference and informed the media that with effective immediately Stark Industries would shut down weapon manufacturing. I've changed. I still don't know about you-"

"Why, I'm here, trying to help you to get rid of the Tesseract- a force, you cannot hope to control. Keep on dabbling with its powers and soon more aliens will come to invade your lovely Earth."

"Just give me a second to admire your noble and oh-so-totally selfless motivation."

"Um, Tony," Raven cut in, looking up from the holographic projections, "as much as I hate to interrupt your idle banter- but didn't you say I have weird hobbies? Now, how weird is that? _Item 63, Chitauri leg-_ why would anyone keep a Chitauri leg?"

"Is that the list of what S.H..I.E.L.D found in the aftermath of the battle?"

"So it seems._ Item 43, Chitauri weapon; item 168, handlebar of Chitauri spacecraft; item 395, Chitauri body, burned.._. and so on." She heaved a sigh; it was so damned frustrating to have the highest clearance level possible and yet not being able to find what they were looking for. Actually, it wastotal lack of information about the Tesseract that was probably the most interesting.

Loki appeared at her side and peered over her shoulder at the list. "Is there anything about the Tesseract or the sceptre?"

Raven shook her head no.

"Then why do you bother with something as insignificant as Chitauri parts? Especially, if they aren't even here anymore- or did you not notice they were taken to a place called the Hub?"

Well, she had noticed that but hadn't paid much attention to it. "Yeah, but what is the Hub?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D's top secret headquarters," Tony informed her, "so secret that its location is classified even to most of S.H.I.E.L.D-"

"It's somewhere near Washington." Loki cut him off in a slightly bored tone, unperturbed by the fact that both Tony and Raven were gaping at him. Then, his voice took on a more impatient edge. "But that's not the point. The Tesseract is still here in New York. Fury has not sent it off, because if that had been his intention, he would have done so the moment my idiot brother handed him the cube."

"Alright, Loki, you said you could sense the power of the Tesseract while you were being held captive at S.H.I.E.L.D... but, given how thoroughly they catalogued every single bit of Chitauri shit they found in the streets, shouldn't there at least be a note stating Thor had left the cube in Fury's care?"

Tony frowned. "Now, that's interesting... not a bad approach to start with. So what's Fury up to? Jarvis, what did he tell the Council?"

"What Council?" Raven inquired.

"They're the grey eminence behind S.H.I.E.L.D, the ones Fury has to answer to... well, if it suits him. But hey, listen to that!" Tony clicked his fingers and at once, Jarvis played the required footage of Fury's conversation with the council, four people on screens, clouded in a diffuse grey light that made it impossible to see their faces. Even their voices sounded slightly off.

_And the Tesseract?_

_The Tesseract is were it belongs: out of our reach, _Fury replied much to everyone's surprise.

_That's not your call._

_I didn't make it. I just didn't argue with the god that did._

"What?" Raven gasped, sounding totally flabbergasted. "I dunno 'bout you guys, but I don't trust him. Or does any of you really believe he'd hand over the Tesseract to Thor if he asks nicely?"

"Hm, Nick's decidedly not the most trustworthy person I've ever met, but he does have some sort of moral compass- I just don't have the foggiest idea of how it works." Tony gave to consider. "Nevertheless, he seems to be prone to keep his word to Thor. So I suggest we keep our pants on and refrain from fretting until we hear news from him."

It was plain to see that Loki wasn't happy with that decision and Raven seemed to share his reluctance, but in the end she agreed. There was nothing they could do right now; there was no point in trying to force a solution that simply wasn't there. They would have to wait until tomorrow, until Thor had spoken with Fury, before they could act... or react...

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review. It's my birthday :)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Later that night, Raven woke to the sound of a blood-curdling scream, so full of agony that she instinctively grabbed her wand and jumped out of bed. Racing down the stairs she cast some _Revelio_ spells to make sure no other person or being was in the penthouse except Loki and herself.

The screams were coming from his room.

What the hell was wrong with him?

He had been quite relaxed after their return from Stark tower, even thought the outcome of their trip there hadn't been exactly what he'd hoped for. On the other hand, things had gone better than expected, given that Tony Stark was now giving his former enemy the benefit of a doubt, a second chance...

"Loki!" Calling his name she opened the door and switched on the light.

Raven was shocked by the sight of him tossing and turning in his bed, drenched in sweat, panting heavily. His long black hair was plastered to his skull; his face was contorted in pain.

But he had stopped screaming. Now his words came out in a hoarse whisper.

"No... please... don't..."

He was pleading, his words so full of despair, but they seemed to fall on deaf ears with the ones who were giving him nightmares.

_The Chitauri_? _The Other?_ She cursed herself for not having thought further than just giving Tony a phial of Dreamless Sleep before leaving him earlier, for not having considered that Loki could probably use a good dose of that potion, too.

After all, Tony hadn't hesitated to remind him of his crimes and- no, that didn't matter now. He was in pain, in distress, and she wanted to stop it.

"Loki! Wake up."

There was no reaction. Neither the light, not her voice or presence would wake him; he was too tightly in the clutches of his nightmare; his face deadly pale, drops of perspiration on his forehead. Again he screamed out in fear and agony.

She ached seeing him like that. Raven moved closer to the bed and bent over to gently touch his shoulder, whispering, "Loki, please wake up. It's just a dream. You're safe."

Still, there was no reaction so she shook him a little harder, hoping to snap him out of the realm of nightmares and back to reality

Finally his eyes flipped open, clouded with horrors only he could see.

Only an instant later, Raven was flat on her back, pinned down by a crazed and naked Norse god, pressing a dagger (wherever he had produced that from) against the tender skin of her throat.

It drew blood.

I_n a situations like this you can either put up a fight or try to make a jest_, Raven decided.

"Loki, I don't think this is an appropriate situation for a married witch."

-ooOoo-

His eyes widened as realisation kicked in, and he gasped in shock at the thin line of blood on her throat. He dropped his dagger. Within the blink of an eye he was at the other side of the bed, wrapped in a sheet.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

He had almost killed her. If she had put up a fight instead of trying to make a jest she would be dead by now... and that would be regrettable.

"It's okay. No harm done." Raven sat up with a sigh and ran her fingers through her dark hair.

They stared at each other in silence for a moment. Loki he knew she had noticed the barely healed wounds on his skin. Feeling strangely exposed and vulnerable, he thought about pulling the sheet up to his chin, but that might have indicated a chastity not typical for him.

"Usually, I don't try to slit the throat of a fair maiden who comes to join me in bed..." He made an attempt to sound nonchalant, even flirty, but failed.

"Really, Loki?" Raven arched a sophisticated brow at him. "Who are you trying to fool now? Yourself? Because that's a damned stupid idea, and you're not stupid. You had a nightmare; you were screaming so loud I woke up and came to check on you."

He wanted to deny that but since she had figured him out already, Loki thought it wiser to remain silent and to avoid her glance. Besides, what was the point in lying when he was still drenched in cold sweat and probably looking a mess?

"Damn, Loki, what did those fucking Chitauri bastards do to you?"

Ah, her eloquence was so exquisite it was admirable. She really had a way of not mincing her words but come straight to the point, and he actually liked that. But when she asked him if he wanted to talk about it, he stared at her as if she had just made an indecent proposal.

No, he definitely did not want to talk about nightmares; he wanted to forget.

But the memories came rushing back... _fractions of memories, vague and blurred. Disappearing like snow falling on hot coals the moment he tried to recall them, too obscure, too fleeting to grasp. And yet there seemed to remain an imprint of them, of unspeakable horrors, stuck in his brain... and there was pain, a pain that would never go away because it had become a part of him..._

He shook his head.

"Talk to me. You might feel better if you do."

Loki let out a harsh laugh, mocking her sentiments. He was a monster by parentage, nothing would ever make him_ feel better_.

Besides, how could you possibly talk about something you don't even remember? In his mind there was a maelstrom of pain and hurt and shame, but no concrete memory...

'_Silver tongue turned to lead_?' He recalled one of the Idiots Three taunting him in another life, when he was still a prince of Asgard- before all the lies he had been fed with his entire life had collapsed like a house of cards that was made of bricks, and the avalanche had carried him away... it had flushed him down the drain of the Void and spat him back out in Chitauri space.

But that was only part of the truth. He was lost and he had been found by them; the had saved him for a purpose. The rightful King of Asgard, betrayed and cast out, and turned into their pawn...

But he wasn't their pawn any longer; he had not become what they wanted him to be. Not totally, at least. He would not let them- _HIM_\- win.

"Sometimes, your mind protects you from remembering." Raven said in a soft tone, placing her hand on his.

Loki thought about shaking it off but then decided otherwise. He chuckled darkly. "One day I might be able to laugh at the irony of it. I thought things couldn't get worse. I was wrong. I shot myself in the back."

"Yeah, you seem to be damn good at being your own worst enemy." She smirked at him, patting his hand. "You know, Loki, you really should reconsider your career plans if your desire for a throne only leaves you bitter and broken in the end."

"Hm..." He stared at her hand covering his and found it much more intriguing than having to come up with a reply. It was a nice hand with slender fingers, feeling soft and cool on his skin.

"Try to find some happiness instead."

"Happiness?" Loki frowned at Raven and heaved an exasperated sigh. "That's just another of life's great lies. Happiness is the dream of fools."

"Then you think me a fool?"

"Of course I do. You sprang a dangerous man, a war criminal, from jail and gave him shelter. And in spite of all I've done you worry about my happiness- what is not foolish about that?" He twisted his hand so that hers was in his grip now, pulling her closer to him. With his other hand he reached for her throat, curious to see if that would bring a flicker of fear to her eyes. But they remained unfazed, unafraid, and in the end he merely wiped the blood off her skin, whispering, "I'm truly sorry for that."

-ooOoo-

"Oh... um... okay." Totally perplexed, Raven blinked her eyes, wondering what he was up to now. It almost appeared as if he was flirting with her, and she found that notion mightily bewildering because she had absolutely no idea what he hoped to gain with it. So she withdrew her hand from his and got up from the bed.

There were probably simpler ways to distract her from his nightmares.

His eyes followed her every movement, reminding her of the fact that she was wearing a short, silken nightie- just like she always wore in bed. Now, however, she wasn't in bed with her husband but in Loki's room, and nightmares or not it, she realized that the flimsy something was not the most appropriate attire for a married witch... a _happily_ married witch.

Loki smirked at her; a sassy smile was plastered on his face as his eyes swept over her body.

Although Raven was neither very prudish nor immune to flattery, she wasn't desperately craving for attention either. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, she nevertheless resisted the urge to _Summon_ her old and fluffy bathrobe and cover herself more properly.

Instead, she arched a brow at him and, feigning a light and casual tone, she asked, "Coffee?"

Loki didn't answer immediately. All of a sudden, a very hungry expression flashed over his face but it wasn't a need for food, and it disappeared almost as soon as it had come, making her realize that food, water and sleep weren't the only things he had been deprived of that past year, lost in the void. But food, drink and shelter were the only things Raven was willing to offer, and she was relieved when he finally replied that coffee was a good idea.

As if his wish was her command, Raven hurried out of his room, closing the door behind her. But instead of heading for the kitchen, she raced up the stairs to her quarters where she took a quick shower, got dressed more properly- black jeans and a simple black shirt- and retrieved her phone.

Dialling Sev's number, she slowly went back down the staircase to the living room and adjacent kitchen. Raven noticed that the door to the terrace stood open the very same moment her husband's voice mailbox answered the call instead of him. _Damn!_

Since she was not a fan of answering machines, she didn't leave a message but typed a short text that she missed him. Then she walked further down the stairs.

Outside, a new day was dawning at the eastern horizon, and the rising sun cast away the few dark clouds still lingering in the sky, remnants of Thor's visit the night before. Loki turned around to glance at her.

As he followed her into the kitchen, she realized he must have taken a shower, too, and was now clad in the informal attire of a wealthy and carefree Midgardian, distinctively resembling the casual elegance of Tony Stark.

While operating the coffee machine, Raven cursed the fact that he was such a handsome devil... at least when he was not waking up from a nightmare or suffering from torture. But she also knew that flirting and flattery were merely tools of manipulation.

She handed him a mug of coffee and pointed at the fridge. "Whatever you need to still your hunger, you'll find it in there."

Loki's smile seemed to freeze for a brief moment, then he arched an amused brow at her and chuckled in acknowledgement.

Now that was clearly one point for her.

She took her own mug of coffee and headed for the spiral staircase leading downstairs to her study.

"I take it we are not having breakfast together this morning?" Loki asked.

Raven turned around and thought about telling him that he was a big boy and could handle having breakfast on his own, but changed her mind and merely smiled at him before she disappeared from his view.

If she was up this early, she could just as well busy herself with the files Jarvis had agreed to send her, some of S.H.I.E.L.D's background information about the Tesseract. Once, it was the prize of jewel of Odin's treasure chamber, then it got lost- there was nothing about the circumstances, only a note that it was found centuries later in a Viking grave and ended in the hands of a Nazi organisation called Hydra, using its power to build weapons of mass destruction. But thanks to the noble adventures of Captain America, who sacrificed his life and was sort of hibernating seventy years in the ice, S.H.I.E.L.D got hold of the Tesseract while searching for him, and all they could think of was using its power to also build weapons of mass destruction.

_Muggles are so petty sometimes_, Raven thought as she glanced at the clock and decided it was time to call Alice.

Although she was still on unpaid leave so she could pamper her pesky Asgardian pest, she nevertheless had to debrief Alice on a regular basis, and this seemed to be a perfect morning to get a fair share of her boss' displeasure about the recent development. Raven knew Al wouldn't be happy, and she was right when she saw the old Auror frowning at her from the projection screen that had replaced the traditional Floo network and was sort of wizarding Skype for modern wizards and witches.

"Say it again, lass. I'm an old witch and my ears may not function as well as they used to do. So, what happened between your_ '__this is so very out of my league'_ from a couple of days ago and your current attitude of hanging around with superheroes like Iron Man, worrying about a cosmic cube?"

"I... um..." Like all innovations, this new means of communication had its pros and cons. One the one hand, it was of course convenient that you didn't have to stick your head into a dusty fireplace anymore; on the other hand, a flickering head in the fireplace had never been able to scrutinise her with intense green eyes that made Raven still feel like a sixth year student who had to answer her Defence against the Dark Arts professor. She heaved a sigh and cleared her throat. "I think we should perhaps expand our field of interest and learn something new. The world is getting weirder. We just found out we're not alone, that there are other realms, other worlds, other forms of magic... "

"Go on," the old Auror encouraged her.

"The next Dark Lord rising might not be satisfied with subduing only the Muggle world; he might look beyond Earth and see new worlds, new allies. We have to be prepared for that."

Alice Steel was silent for a moment but Raven could see her frowning again, pondering her words..

"Well, you're probably right, lass. After all, the WIIA stands for investigation and intelligence, therefore we should make intelligence our currency."

"Does that mean I'm on a new assignment now?" Raven asked boldly.

Alice chuckled. "Only if Odin is willing to pay you for retrieving the Tesseract from S.H.I.E.L.D and sending it back to Asgard. But if you're asking for official support, I'm willing to grant it."

"Thanks, Al..."

"Oh, don't thank me yet, lass. You've landed yourself in quite a mess and you might be dealing with things that are really out of your league- but then again, these Avengers guys aren't predestined to be a better choice for that task. No matter how extraordinarily strong they are, and despite all the superhuman abilities they possess, in the end they're just Muggles."

"Exactly!" Raven agreed. They didn't know anything about magic but perhaps it was magic that was needed in order to locate the Tesseract and get it, so Thor could take it back to Asgard...

That moment, her phone was ringing. Hoping it was Sev she glanced at the display and was disappointed that it didn't show her husband's face but Tony Stark's number. "Al, I have to answer that call. It's Tony..."

"Ooh, so he's already Tony to you?" Alice quipped dryly. "You really do enjoy illustrious company these days. An Asgardian prince, a Muggle playboy and billionaire- and they're both quite handsome guys, aren't they? Does dear Sev in faraway Kathmandu know?"

"Really, Al? May I remind you that _I_ wanted to accompany Sev but _you_ insisted I take on this stupid assignment with S.H.I.E.L.D-"

"Have fun, lass!" The old Auror laughed and ended the connection.

Shaking her head in mild annoyance, Raven finally answered her phone.

"Hey sleepyhead, Goldilocks is an early bird and-"

"Yeah, good morning to you, too, Tony." Raven cut him off in a slightly sarcastic tone because there really wasn't anything good this morning. She was tired and her coffee mug was empty, Loki was trying to play games with her and Tony sounded much too cheerful.

"Care to drop by for a chat with our Asgardian friend?" Tony replied unfazed.

She agreed and hung up. Then she collected a pair of small technical devices from a drawer of her desk before she hurried up the stairs to inform Loki of the newest development.

He appeared tense, pacing her living room like a caged tiger, but he stopped and whirled around when Raven approached him.

"Tony called-"

"I know. I saw Thor flying to Stark tower and wondered why he didn't stop by and drag me away from here."

"Well, I don't know how he found you last night when we were at Tony's, but whatever it is, this place is warded against all kinds of magic."

"Yes, a pretty golden cage." Loki sneered.

Raven rolled her eyes. She had neither slept enough nor drunken enough coffee for everybody getting on her nerves this morning.

"Well, the bloody cage is unlocked. Go and sort things out with Tony and Thor on your own, have another useless fight with your not-brother, but if you try to kill each other, please do it thoroughly. Or let me handle the situation on condition that you stay here..."

Loki flashed her a threatening glare, but there was also something else in his eyes. It wasn't fear- it was more like a certain unease mingled with mistrust and the expectation of deceit.

"Loki, I'm not trying to fool you." Raven continued in a softer tone as her annoyance ebbed away, and she raised her hands in a gesture of truce before she placed them on his arms. "I'm just so _**not**_ in the mood for another quarrel between the two of you; it was exhausting yesterday and the night was too short for me to have it again. So, it's all up to you, but only one of us is going to meet with Tony and Thor. Your choice, Loki."

He was frowning at her, uncertainty in his eyes. It was so hard for him to trust her. Sometimes he did but it never lasted long; it was like a precious good she had to gain again and again with every situation, every day.

"Does he have the Tesseract yet?"

Raven shook her head no. "I don't think so. Tony would have mentioned that, I guess."

In order to spur his decision, she took his hand and slipped one of the earpieces she had brought from her study into his palm, instructing him how to use it.

Perhaps it was the knowledge that he would be able to hear every words they spoke from a safe distance what convinced him in the end. After insisting on a quick but apparently satisfying check on the operational capability of the earpieces, he finally agreed to let her handle things with Thor.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Raven Apparated to Stark Tower and arrived on the terrace from where she walked into Tony's living room.

He and Thor were sitting in his lounge area, drinking coffee in what seemed to be an uncomfortable silence. Although they were allies, it was plain to see that they didn't have much in common and even less to talk about. Perhaps it was due to their lack of conversation that they both jumped to their feet immediately at the sight of her.

"Good day, Lady Raven." Thor greeted her politely, while Tony wondered aloud, "Why did I built in a private elevator if no one uses it?"

"Oh, I just love your terrace, and besides, Muggles always tend to freak out when I appear out of thin air only to walk into a building and use the elevator." She explained with a smirk as she eyed Tony; he looked so much better, much more relaxed than the night before. Apparently, the Dreamless Sleep Potion she had almost force fed him with last night (much to Loki's amusement) had given him some hours of untroubled sleep; the dark circles around his eyes were nearly gone and-

"Where's Loki?" Thor interrupted her musing.

"Securely locked up in my dungeon," Raven lied straight to his face, slightly annoyed about his demanding tone.

"That's good." He replied, neither getting the lie nor the sarcastic edge in voice as he continued, "As much as I miss the little brother I once knew, I fear he's lost for good. Therefore I'm glad you came to your senses- you should not have trusted him in the first place. Loki is a talented liar, always has been."

"Oh, really? Why does that not come as a surprise to me? Ah, now I remember! If someone has been lied to his entire life, allegedly in order to protect him from the truth, what value does truth still have to him? Isn't it so much simpler to rely in lies?"

Thor glanced at her with a rather clueless expression on his face. Meanwhile, at the other end of the line, Loki let out a bitter bark of laughter.

There was no sense in arguing with Thor. He would never understand what Loki had been through and there would never be any understanding if Loki wasn't willing to tell him, but this was not the right time for family therapy, and there was nothing Raven could do. Therefore, she came straight to the point. "Where's the Tesseract?

"The Tesseract is still at S.H.I.E.L.D. I met Lady Maria this morning and asked her to return it to me but she informed me that she is not authorized to do so, and Director Fury is not available today. He is expected to be back tomorrow."

"_We cannot waste another day and hope if Fury is possibly inclined to return it tomorrow_," Loki hissed into her ear.

"I know. S.H.I. is not a charity organisation that stores things for idiots," Raven whispered before she addressed Thor again. "So, do you really believe Fury will hand over the Tesseract tomorrow?"

"Yes, of course. Why would he not?"

Tony rolled his eyes at the Asgardian's ingenuousness but managed to refrain from making a jest about it. Instead, he called up the holographic projection screens and busied himself with an idea that seemed to have struck him, leaving it to Raven to deal with Thor.

She shot him a dirty look. _Thank you very much._

"Director Fury is a good man; he means to protect this world from evil and he can count me as his ally because Earth is under my protection..."

_"And he's doing a marvellous job,"_ Loki sneered, _"holding hands with lovely Jane and being utterly clueless about everything else."_

"Shh!"

"I am certain Director Fury will give me the Tesseract tomorrow," Thor continued with a bewildered frown at Raven, "and then we will leave for Asgard. Don't worry, Loki won't be a burden to you much longer, but you can deliver him into my custody if that's more convenient-"

"Hell, no! I mean, no, he's not a burden to me... (and don't make me regret saying that)."

_"I appreciate your hospitality, little witch."_

"My brother can be very convincing, but you should not trust his silver tongue. I noticed you removed the seals that prevent him from doing tricks; I imagine he complained they make him feel uncomfortable."

"Oh shut up!" She snapped angrily. Tricks? These bounds could have killed Loki!

_"I didn't say anything."_ Loki protested in a defensive tone.

"Not you. I'm just about to throttle your ignorant brother."

_"He's not-"_

"Don't start this again!"

"Lady Raven, are you feeling well?" Thor asked, sounding slightly worried.

"Yeah, perfectly." She clapped him on the shoulder and then ushered him with friendly determination towards the terrace door. "Thank you so much for coming, but I'm sure you'd rather spend your last day on Earth with Jane, so please, don't let me keep you."

"Um..." He was perplexed, but since she was right he gave in without realizing she merely wanted to get rid off him.

Tony was following their exchange with an amused expression on his lips; contrary to Thor he had noticed the little plug in her ear and drawn the right conclusions. He smirked briefly at Raven before he turned his glance on the projection screens again.

Raven watched Thor whirling his hammer, then he took off to the skies. She lit a cigarette, inhaled, and waited another moment before she said. "Alright, the coast is clear."

A second later Loki was at her side. "I'm impressed, you outwitted the witless."

"The way you're saying it makes it sound less impressing, but I appreciate your gratitude anyway."

Loki smirked ever so slightly and brushed past her. She thought about following him inside when her phone rang. The picture on the display showed her husband and she was grateful for that timely interruption.

"Sev! So glad to her your voice!"

"_Ooh, is that the beloved husband?_"

_Damn!_ "Loki, get out of my ear!" She snapped. He just laughed.

"Do you want me to call again at a more opportune moment?" Severus asked.

"What? No. Sorry, love, it's just that I'm sort of in the middle of an investigation concerning a blue-glowing cosmic cube that can open another portal- and I just hadn't had enough coffee this morning."

"Oh, does Loki know he's in grave danger?" Sev chuckled darkly; he knew her so well.

Now, Raven was laughing. Only then she switched off the earpiece in order to have a moment of privacy with her husband, and they talked for a few more minutes but all the while her eyes remained fixed on Tony and Loki indoors. Fortunately, the guys seemed to behave.

In the end she hung up with the promise to call him back later and entered Tony's living room again. Much to her surprise, Loki approached her with a mug of coffee.

"Thank you. Trying to tame the beast, eh? You can be quite charming... sometimes."

"Tony just said the same." Loki replied with a smug smile.

"No. No. I said you're good at pretending you're a nice guy but I'm not sure if you really are or just faking it. I'd never use the word charming with you."

Raven chuckled into her coffee when Jarvis interrupted the little banter between the guys.

"Mr Loki, Sir, I have the required information for you."

"Thank you, good Jarvis."

"My pleasure, Mr Loki, you're welcome!"

"Did you hear that?" Tony huffed without sounding truly disgruntled. "He even manipulated my AI!"

"Sir, I merely obliged his polite request."

"Okay, and what did you find?" Raven asked, glancing over Loki's shoulder at the screen; it showed the blueprint of a building. "S.H.I.E.L.D central?"

"Indeed. I asked Jarvis to find me the most secure room there."

That made perfect sense to her. Where else would Fury keep a precious artefact like the Tesseract if not in a highly secured room? Then, Jarvis informed them them that it needed a retina and a fingerprint scan to get access to it.

"Ah, so we need an eyeball again?" Loki concluded.

"Oh no, not Stuttgart all over again!" Raven recalled his actions in Germany from the footage she saw and shook her head. "There has to be another way."

"Yeah, I assume Fury will be grateful for any good idea since he's got only the one... eyeball, I mean. And I think he likes his fingers, too... although he's got ten of them." Tony interjected, sounding unusually absent-minded and focussed on something else entirely, just like he had been for most of the time this morning.

Raven also noticed that he seemed to have paled slightly ever since he had first called up the holographic projection screens, but before she could wonder about that, an idea crossed her mind.

"Jarvis, are there any Anti-Apparation wards on that room?"

After all, it was a room. Not a safe. More like an armoury or a treasure chamber...

"I'm afraid, Ma'am, but I cannot answer-"

"It's okay, Jarvis. Stupid question, stupid me. I'm sorry." She didn't want to be responsible for a system crash, and besides, she could answer that question herself given how clueless S.H.I.E.L.D was about magic- Fury wouldn't have approached the WIIA, asking for someone with magical skills, if they had their own experts. And Raven was quite certain they didn't have any wizards or witches on their payroll. Shaking her head she glanced at Loki. "Do you realize we don't have to get in through the door? We can Apparate inside."

"What?" He frowned at her, looking kind of lost although he had definitely grasped the meaning of her words, even if he might call it teleportation. However, it was basically the same thing.

"Well, did that idea never occur to you when you planned your act in Stuttgart?"

"I... um... it was Barton's plan actually..." Loki mumbled almost inaudible.

Both Raven and Tony groaned at that. Tony looked up briefly from whatever was keeping him occupied and shook his head. Loki seemed to consider saying something but was wise enough to remain silent before he could ruin the fragile companionship with an imprudent jest..

"Well, if that's the strategy they learn at S.H.I.E.L.D, they most definitely won't expect us to Apparate into their well secured treasure chamber and steal the Tesseract." Raven remarked in an almost cheerful tone, trying to lighten the mood. "If I remember their shift schedule correctly, the perfect time for that would be between two and three in the morning. However, I could use someone keeping a keen eye on their surveillance cameras. Tony, would you do that for me?"

"Yep." Again he looked up briefly, closed his screen and opened another one, now studying the same blueprint Raven and Loki were still staring at. He enlarged parts of it that showed S.H.I.E.L.D's surveillance network. "It's kind of easy, actually..."

He continued and confused Raven with a gush of technique-babble of which she only understand that something converged atop the S.H.I.E.L.D building and gave him access to their surveillance system; in case of unforeseen trouble he could easily interfere from there.

Meanwhile, Loki had snaked an arm around her waist and purred into her ear, "As much as I appreciate your willingness to clandestinely steal the Tesseract, what is my part in your clever plan?"

"Your part is to not tempt fate." Raven nudged him with her elbow so he let go off her again; he chuckled quietly. She turned around to face him, arching a brow at him. "May I remind you of the face trace thing? The moment you go outside, you're on S.H.I.E.L.D's radar."

"Um, no." Tony corrected her. "I already handled that and manipulated his biometric data so it won't respond to the binary code of their saved files. After all, he will have to meet Thor in order to not go back to Asgard with him, and knowing Frosty he will likely fool him with his hide and seek tricks... I hope I will not regret that."

Loki smiled at him. Then he glanced at Raven. "Well, well. As it seems I will accompany you and not leave all the glory to you."

Although his words were spoken in a careless, nonchalant tone, Raven thought she heard a more serious note swinging in the undertone- it wasn't exactly mistrust (although he definitely had trust issues) or that he doubted her being capable of succeeding... it was something else, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

Since there were still many hours until they could act, Raven and Loki arranged a time when they would meet with Tony again, who seemed to be glad they were leaving, so he could busy himself with that secret screen again.

Loki had already disappeared when Raven turned around to address Tony. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Me? No. Why, do you think I should? We have a plan, all we have to do is to carry it out. No problem."

"I'm not talking about the plan. Something else is eating you up, and I would like to know what it is."

"Everything is fine and the rest is a personal matter you don't have to worry about."

She knew he was lying. Heck, she even knew when the God of Lies was lying to her, so she could easily figure out a Tony Stark whose mind was in such a turmoil that it almost screamed at her, but she didn't want to break into it with the full force of Legilimency in order to find out what was troubling him. As long as it didn't concern Loki or their plan, and he wasn't out to betraying them (he wasn't) it was none of her business.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for any grammatical mistakes. English is not my first language and my beta is otherwise buried with work, but I thought it's about time to post something.

Thanks for reading. Feedback is always very welcome.


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for reviewing. Here's another chapter. Hope you like it.

Chapter 9

Loki couldn't quite shake off the feeling of unease, the subliminal anger rising its ugly head, ready to strike again. It wasn't that he disliked the plan; actually, it was a good plan because it required stealth instead of strength... but it wasn't his plan, and one part of him wanted to reject it simply for that reason. It was a childish notion, though, and he was aware of that. He was just so tired of others making decisions for him, of being patronized and smothered, and he found it hard fighting the urge to lash out.

"What's bothering you?" Raven asked in a soft tone. They were back home and of course she had noticed something didn't sit well with him. "If you have a better plan, please tell me."

That was the problem. He couldn't come up with a better plan, and deep in his dark heart he also knew that Raven only wanted to help him- she had said it more than once and so far she had always acted according to her words. It was tempting to mock her sentiments, but he could see with absolute clarity that it would gain him nothing if he let his shattered ability to trust rule over reason and annoy a willing ally.

"Tell me more about your magic." He said at long last.

Raven opted for a demonstration instead. She brandished her wand and challenged him, albeit not in a threatening way; it was more like her trying to prove she was a worthy ally.

_Very well_, Loki thought and cast a projection of himself but noticed soon enough that he couldn't fool her. An instant later he landed flat on his back, gasping in surprise. He hadn't expected that, even though he knew already that Midgardian magic wasn't weak just because the wizards and witches of this realm were mortal. Lying still he pondered what they could do with their power if they had the longevity of Asgardians.

"You alright?" Raven was approaching him with a worried expression on her face, and offered him a hand to get back up on his feet when she realized no harm was done.

He grabbed her hand only to pull her down, grinning, "Ooh, you like being on top?" Then he flipped her over and held his dagger against her throat for the second time this day. "So do I. How do you like that?"

"Please, let go off me, Loki. I really don't want to hurt you."

"What? You're hardly in the position to- oh, damn..." He fell silent when he felt her wand pointing at the parts of him he really definitely didn't want to get hurt. The slightly stinging feeling she caused him in order to underline her point was enough for him to remove his dagger from her throat as he sat up, laughing. "You cheated!"

"Yep!" She admitted shamelessly. "What's the point of fighting fair if you're about to lose?"

Raven had never been good at duelling when she was younger, but since that was a required trait in Auror training she had come to the conclusion that she would only stand a chance if she reinterpreted or bent the rules of the game.

"Ready for another round?"

Loki agreed although he was not the greatest fan of training sessions- at least not when they were useless competitions of strength the way Thor and his idiotic friends enjoyed. But this was fun, more like a battle of wits and tricks than actual fighting, and he learned so much more about Midgardian magic than Raven could have told him.

The most interesting thing about it was that here was no real difference to Asgardian magic; the mortals just called things differently; they had names for every spell, curse or hex. But in the end, magic was magic, a matter of determination, imagination and willpower to overcome the limits of physics.

They spent most of the day discussing magic and magical theory, the divergence between their different approaches to it; it was a good way to distract themselves from what lay ahead of them. Especially for Raven, who was aware of the fact that although it was an easy plan there were still a lot of things that could go wrong. Therefore, she had to rely on Loki and their duelling session had helped her a lot to learn not only about his magic but also about the way he moved- with swift elegance; he was a dangerous enemy if he decided to betray her.

Nevertheless, she trusted him and told him so. He laughed and called her foolish, but his voice lacked conviction. After all, it would be even more foolish to betray the one person who still had faith in him and was trying to help him; and Loki was no fool.

Some hours later, they were in a small and littered alley close to S.H.I.E.L.D central, hiding in the shadows. Just a minute earlier the Iron Man had landed atop the building, doing whatever was necessary to hack into and take control of S.H.I.E.L.D's surveillance system. Now, Raven and Loki were only waiting for his okay before they could Apparate into the treasure chamber.

If all went well, it wouldn't take them more than ten minutes to get the job done. Then, they'd merely had to call Thor and arrange a meeting, hand over the Tesseract to him, and he'd be gone.

Raven sighed. "I'm already dreading the tearful goodbye."

"Don't worry, little witch. There's no need to cry because I will not leave your lovely world tonight." Loki whispered in response, a smug smile on his lips.

"Idiot!" She nudged him in the ribs, rolling her eyes. "I meant Thor and darling Jane when the two love-birds have to part- what's taking Tony so long?"

Now that the time had almost come she finally wanted to act and patience was not her greatest virtue. While waiting for Tony to give them the go-ahead, she recalled a conversation with her husband from earlier this evening. As expected, Severus had not been happy about her plan to break into S.H.I.E.L.D central. They didn't argue often but when they did it was with passion, and she had to apologize for some unthoughtful words later. Of course he worried over her- a good husband should worry if his wife told him about such a plan (especially since it wasn't within the framework of a proper assignment)- but she had overreacted, and it hadn't been right to tell him that if he had wanted a nice little housewife he should have chosen Lily over her.

Fortunately, Loki had possessed enough decency to not mock the trouble in paradise he had overheard, and when she ended the call it was in a more conciliatory tone anyway. Their arguments were like rain in the summertime, a short but heavy shower and afterwards the air was fresh and clear again.

She loved Sev, even though there were moments she could throttle him for his lack of understanding when it came to her job. _He_ would have preferred her to stay in the Crime Lab, but although she liked science she wasn't a born scientist and needed some action, some thrill, occasionally.

"Ground control to Major Tom- what are you doing, Tony?"

_"Um... sitting in a tin can far above the world..."_ Obviously he got the reference at once. _"Space Oddity? Really?"_

"What are you talking about?" Loki inquired, frowning at her.

"Pop culture. A classic from the seventies..." Raven replied briefly before Tony interrupted her.

_"Lady Stardust, you can give Ziggy a lesson in bell-bottoms, platform boots and mismatching colours when you're done here. Go ahead."_

She glanced at Loki. "Are you ready?"

"Let's go!"

A mere moment later, they were inside S.H.I.E.L.D central, appearing out of thin air right in the middle of its most secured room, and it really looked like a treasure chamber. Three walls of the room were covered with rows of shelves reaching from floor to ceiling, filled with all kinds of stuff. Unregistered weapon technology, strange artefacts, boxes labelled _confidential._

Raven glanced around._ Now, where's the Tesseract? Is it here anyway? _She had never seen it before; all she knew about it was that it's a blue-glowing cube of unlimited power.

_Hello, power, where are you?_

She was just about to cast a_ Revelio _spell, when Loki strode forward in a determined, unerring way and pulled a metal briefcase from one of the shelves. He put it on the floor, knelt down in front of it, and opened it. A blue glow was filling the room.

Raven was at his side immediately, staring at the Tesseract. She could sense its power and it wasn't like anything she knew, a strange, outlandish kind of power. Not magical, not of this world. Ancient and somewhat... alien... tempting...

What she could do with its power! _Just take it._ It would solve the energy problems of this planet, bring a warm light to all mankind, put an end to poverty, and everyone would adore her... the Queen of Earth.

_No!_ Raven pulled back her hand that was already hovering over the briefcase. She wasn't power-hungry, she didn't have these ambitions; she liked the way her life was, and she knew almost instinctively that she couldn't possibly hope to control the power of the Tesseract.

"I have passed the test," she whispered, "I will diminish and go into the West, and remain Galadriel."

"What?" Loki stared at her in bewilderment.

_"Lord of the Rings. A book. Well, actually three books."_ Tony cut in via the earpieces he had supplied them with. _"Um, are you just arranging world dominance between the two of you?"_

"We considered it but came to the conclusion we're both not interested; it's a much too tedious and dirty job." Raven slammed shut the briefcase, barely missing Loki's fingers, and the blue light faded away.

Loki glared at her; apparently he begged to differ. She placed a hand on his shoulder, knowing he was tempted, and knowing just as well that he could easily kill her and disappear with the Tesseract. In a situation like this it was probably not the wisest idea to switch off the earpieces and with it the connection to Tony so she could have a moment of privacy with Loki.

His eyes seemed to mock her for her foolishness.

"Power is never a good exchange for one's soul," she said quietly. "Believe me. I knew a man, a wizard, who split his soul several times for the sake of power and eternal life... well, the result wasn't pretty, and in the end he failed. It's not worth the trouble. But-" Raven shoved the briefcase with the Tesseract in Loki's direction, "if you truly think this thing can change your life for the better, can give you the fulfilment and recognition you're striving for, then take it."

His fingers twitched while his hand was hovering over the handle of the briefcase; he was about to take it. But then he withdrew his hand, shaking his head.

"Not a word about happiness or other ludicrous sentiments." He hissed in a threatening tone.

"May I dare to mention you made a good decision?"

"Did I?" Arching a quizzical brow at her, his fingers closed around her hand and he drew her a little closer to him; his eyes locked with hers. "I will chose my reward in time..."

And just in time Raven remembered to switch on her earpiece again, still slightly confused about Loki's words, the feeling of her hand in his, the... _hunger_ in his eyes.

_**"Hey, are you getting cosy in there? Major Tom to ground control! Do you copy? Damn! Someone's coming- you're not smooching, are you? Raven! Loki! Get out of-"**_

Before Tony could finish the sentence, the door opened.

It was too late for them to hide. There was no place where they could possibly hide in this clearly structured treasure chamber, and they were both too stunned to even think of whatever magical means of transport to get out of the room unnoticed.

The person who entered didn't seem to be a threat at first glance. He was an elderly man, slightly chubby with a beer belly. His hairline was receding, and his dirty-blonde hair showed signs of neglect. He really didn't look like a dangerous guy or a potential enemy except for the strange, unreal blueish glow in his eyes that dominated a face covered with stubbles.

Raven recalled she had seen his face before- it was Dr Erik Selvig, astrophysicists and friend of Thor. Well, he didn't appear any friendly now as he produced a spear-like weapon with a blue-glowing orb- apparently from out of thin air- and pointed it threateningly at Loki.

"YOU! FILTHY ASGARDIAN, YOU WILL NOT TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME! SHE'S MINE!"Selvig bellowed and made immediate use of his weapon, formerly known as Loki's sceptre.

A flash of blue light shot from the sceptre. Before Raven could brandish her wand and perform a _Shield Charm,_ Loki had snatched the metal briefcase containing the Tesseract and brought it up just in time for the jet of light to bounce off. It ricocheted through the room and hit something in the shelves that exploded.

"We have to get out of here!" The room was filled with weapons and lots of other stuff that might be explosive, and the _Shield Charm_ would not protect them from an enormous blast.

_"What's going on? Raven? Loki? Does anyone copy, dammit?"_ Tony sounded a tad exasperated, but Raven paid no heed to him.

Selvig was moving faster than expected for a man of his stature and age; he also seemed to be much stronger. When Loki attacked him, he managed to counter that attack with ease and sent him crashing into one of the shelves.

Immediately, Loki was back on his feet. He hurled the briefcase in Raven's direction. "Take the Tesseract and go! I'll give him a much needed cognitive recalibration."

Now, Selvig turned his attention to her, threatening her with the sceptre. "Be a good girl and hand her over, and I won't kill you. My Master is not interested in silly mortal witches."

"Don't let him touch you with the sceptre!" Loki warned Raven.

"I know!"

Selvig whirled around to fire another shot at the Asgardian but only hit a projection of him. He laughed; it sounded dangerously mad. "You're hiding like a coward! Have you forgotten that there's no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where HE can't find you?"

Raven saw Loki pale visibly. Selvig thrust the sceptre at the real Loki. She reacted almost instinctively and swung the briefcase hard against Selvig's head. He keeled over, howling with anger.

That very moment the alarm went off in a loud, beeping sound.

_"Whatever you're doing, I recommend you get out of there!" _Tony said with an urgent undertone in his voice.

"He's right," Loki said. "Go!"

Meanwhile, Selvig rose with still the same mad, blue glow in his eyes as before. Apparently, she hadn't hit his head hard enough...

Raven heard the loud footsteps of booted feet approaching in the corridor outside the room.

"GO!" Now, Loki was yelling at her.

Understanding his urge to have the Tesseract removed from S.H.I.E.L.D and therefore also from Selvig's access, she Disapparated with the briefcase in her hand and landed on the roof of the building next to Tony in his Iron Man suit. Looking over his shoulder she noticed he had just hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D's alarm system and classified the alarm as a false one.

"Tony!"

He flinched at the sound of her voice but when he turned his head she saw relief in his eyes.

"Raven! I'm glad you-"

"Take the Tesseract!" She cut him off as she shoved the briefcase into his arms.

"Hey, I don't like being handed things..."

Raven ignored his complaint. "Call Thor and arrange a meeting, just like we planned. Make sure he leaves with it-"

"Whoa! Wait... what are you up to?" Tony asked.

"I'll go back for Loki." She doubted Tony's note of a false alarm had becalmed the agents on guard and as she could see on his tablet that showed pictures of all the surveillance cameras close to the treasure chamber, Loki was actually fighting some agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Raven, that's madness."

Loki was fighting with so much elegance and efficiency that she understood where Tony's concern was coming from.

"You don't leave a friend in need only because he can probably handle the situation on his own." Raven retorted.

"Yeah, right. Noble idea- does he share your understanding of friendship?"

"He will. One day." Raven shrugged, still staring at the screen. Fascinated by the swift and agile way Loki moved and fought, so graceful it almost reminded her of a dance and she wanted to dance with him. Then she shook her head to get that crazy idea out of her mind. "I'm not going to debate that. I asked Loki to trust me and I won't let him down now. You take the Tesseract to Thor."

Tony hesitated for a moment, then he sighed and agreed.

Raven watched him fly away before she turned her attention to the tablet again. If she wanted to help Loki she had to find the perfect spot where to Apparate to.

Six or seven agents were already down. She just hoped he hadn't killed them all but fortunately, there didn't seem to be much blood.

She cursed violently when she saw that Agent Barton of all people had joined in the fight, firing arrows at Loki. He managed to evade them all, throwing little daggers in return.

But for how long could he stand his ground, now that Agent Romanov was aiming a gun at Loki?

Raven acted immediately, focussing on the three D's of Apparition: Destination, Deliberation, Determination- and she was very determined.

She appeared out of thin air right behind the Black Widow and took her by surprise with a _Full Body-Bind Spell_ that made Agent Romanov go rigid in her arms; the gun dropped to the floor. Then Raven _Summoned_ one of Loki's daggers, pressing it against the woman's throat.

"Barton! Drop your fucking bow or I'll slit her throat!"

Barton lowered his bow. If looks could kill, she and Loki would be dead now.

"No. Clint. Don't." Romanov muttered.

"Sorry, Tasha, I just can't..."

"Ooh, isn't love sweet?" Loki smiled smugly as he casually strutted towards Raven, wiggling a brow at Romanov. Briefly, he scanned her body with his eyes before he glanced at Barton. "I understand why you like her so much. Such nice curves..."

Romanov's eyes widened, and it wasn't because she was flattered by Loki's compliment.

"Harm a single hair on her head and I swear I will put an arrow through your eye-socket!"

"You had your chance to kill me; you missed it." Loki's voice was harsh and sharp now. "You are just as pathetic as your whore."

"Just shoot him," the Black Widow hissed.

Raven could sense his anger boiling up; she had to act soon or he would kill Barton and enjoy Romanov watching it. But revenge was not on today's agenda, even though she was tempted to use the _Cruciatus Curse_ on Barton.

They had the Tesseract (well, Tony had it) now they had to get out of here and that preferably without having S.H.I.E.L.D hard on their heels. The only ones who knew what had transpired tonight were Barton and Romanov; the other agents involved in the fight were still knocked out.

She would have to cast a _Memory Modifying Charm _on Barton and Romanov, and wished she'd be more adapt in that...

Meanwhile, Loki had produced a dagger; she knew he was damned fast but she would not let him kill Barton. Raven seized Loki's arm in a tight grip, released Romanov of the _Petrificus Spell_ and give her a kick in Barton's direction.

Instead of catching the fall of the woman he loved, Barton brought up his bow and started firing a couple of arrows at Loki, who hurled his dagger at him in return.

Most on the arrows failed and landed clattering on the floor while Raven took Loki to Central Park by Side-Along Apparition, but one of the arrows bruised her arm.

Loki was furious when he landed flat on his back on a green meadow, the nightly sky above him. Immediately, he was back on his feet and approached Raven, who was clutching her injured arm.

"Are you totally insane, witch? I could have killed him, and he deserved it. Why did you stop me? Why did you come back anyway? I could have handled the situation pretty well on my own! And where's the Tesseract?"

So many questions. She tried to answer them briefly, one by one. "Bad karma. Less fun. Tony."

That clearly took the wind out of his sails. His eyes widened as if they wanted to say _what the fuck?, _then his glance fell on the blood trickling through her fingers, dripping down her arm, and his eyes narrowed.

"You're hurt." Loki noticed, still sounding angry.

"It's just a scratch." Raven shrugged and tried to wipe away the blood with the result of smearing it all over her arm.

"Stupid witch!" He cursed as he grabbed her arm to examine the wound. "That arrow was meant for me."

"Oh, I'm sorry I got in the way!" She snapped as she tried to free her arm from his grip, looking around. "Tony, where are you?"

_"Getting closer and trying not to interrupt your charming... whatever_," came his reply via the headset. Then he asked in a more serious tone, _"Is everything alright?"_

"Yeah, Loki's just worrying 'bout a scratch."

He was still holding on to her arm, running swift fingers across the wound, and suddenly the edges of the gash began to knit together again.

She arched a surprised brow at him.

_"Hold on. Did you just use the words _Loki_ and _worrying_ in one sentence?"_

Raven paid no attention to Tony. She glanced at her arm; it looked as if nothing had ever scratched her skin.

"I didn't know you're adept in the art of healing."

"There are many things you don't know about me," Loki smirked at her; his anger seemed to have dissolved into thin air and was replaced by a certain smugness. "I grew up at the side of a _brother_ who loved to battle, and before Thor got entrusted with the mighty hammer Mjolnir, he liked sharp weapons..."

"I see." Raven flexed her arm and offered Loki a grateful smile. "Well, thank you."

Tony was approaching them; he had changed from his Iron Man suit into more casual clothes, wearing jeans and a Black Sabbath shirt. In his hand he carried the briefcase with the Tesseract.

"Thor will be here any minute," he came straight to the point, looking from Raven to Loki and back. "You two will have a lot to explain later."

Raven just shrugged while Loki's magic began to flicker and an instant later he was cuffed and muzzled, just like Thor had left him at S.H.I.E.L.D. He even had the nerve to look subdued.

Tony rolled his eyes.

Raven shook her head and touched Loki's cheek to remove the illusion of the muzzle; she couldn't stand the sight of it.

"Now give me a kiss." Loki whispered with a cheeky grin.

She thought about putting the muzzle back in place, no matter how ineffective the illusion was in the end. That moment, Thor approached to land on the meadow next to them. He was accompanied by Jane, who looked really small in his strong arms.

_Oh no, we are going to have a teary goodbye_... Raven thought.

Thor flashed a brief glance at Loki and nodded approvingly before he addressed Tony. "I am glad you happened to meet Director Fury tonight and forwarded my request to him. As much as I wished to stay, I have duties in Asgard that I have postponed for too long."

"You're welcome."

Raven exchanged glances with Loki. Apparently, Tony was a good liar, too. The corner of Loki's mouth twitched ever so slightly.

For the first time, Loki had the chance to take a closer look at the mortal woman Thor was so in love with. He took a stop closer to her.

"Hello, I'm-"

Smack! Jane gave him a sound slap in the face. "I know who you are, monster."

Loki chuckled.

"Jane, stay away from him! He's dangerous!" Thor warned her. He took her arm and puller her away from Loki.

"I like her." Loki stated with a broad smile.

"So do I." Tony couldn't help but agree, clearly amused by the situation. Then he opened the briefcase and presented the Tesseract. Thor produced a strange, tube-like container with rich decorated metal at the ends and a glass capsule in the middle. For a guy who didn't think much of magic he relied on it nevertheless when it deemed him suitable.

Thor took the Tesseract from the briefcase and put it in the glass capsule. Then he kissed Jane goodbye with the promise he would come back for her as soon as Bifrost was restored.

Jane tried to be brave; she wiped the tears from her eyes..

Loki bit his lips.

"Loki." Thor said in a demanding tone as he took the container by its handle, offering Loki the other end of it.

It was hard to make out what really happened then. Loki's magic was flickering again but Raven doubted anyone but her noticed it was just the illusion of him approaching Thor and taking the handle. Then Loki was Jane and Jane was Loki, and that was when things got really confusing, even for Raven. But the moment Thor activated the container with a twist of his hand, it was decidedly Jane at the other end of it, and she turned her head to Loki with a smile; her eyes shining Tesseract-blue.

"Thank you, Loki." She said and was gone to Asgard with Thor before he could even begin to grasp what had just happened.

-ooOoo-

Loki, Raven, Tony stared silently at the sky for a moment. Thor and Jane had disappeared to Asgard with the Tesseract, and yet things had not gone according to their plan. They had acted in the firm belief the Tesseract would be safe in Asgard. Now, they had every reason to doubt that.

"Damn!" Raven spoke out what everybody thought.

"Yep." Tony agreed, glancing at Loki.

"What?" He was in a defensive mode at once. "It's not my fault. I was merely trying to be generous. Instead of returning to Asgard with that witless oaf I gave him the company he loves and cherishes-"

"You really are goodness personified," groaned Tony.

"It's not about Thor taking Jane to Asgard! Did you not see her eyes? They were Tesseract-blue!"

Loki just shrugged. The Tesseract was gone and he was not in immediate danger at the moment; that was all that mattered to him.

"Selvig must have found a way to turn her into his pawn without Thor noticing," Raven continued.

"What about Selvig anyway?" Although there were surveillance cameras almost everywhere at S.H.I.E.L.D central, there were also a some places that weren't monitored. Like the treasure chamber. Probably it was because the few who had access to it were agents with a clearance level that was above suspicion. Therefore, Tony hadn't been able to watch what had transpired in that room; he had merely been able to overhear the words that had been spoken.

"He's the one wielding the sceptre now."

"Yeah. Yeah, I got that. But why Selvig? I mean, he's not really Mister Powerful. If I were a creepy Über-Chitauri- which I'm fortunately not- I would have chosen someone... um, _stronger. _"

"Oh, but he is quite strong now." Raven remembered Selvig crashing Loki into the shelves with ease.

"Selvig is the one who lost most." Loki cut in, explaining. "He was a mediocre scientist when I met him. I gave him knowledge and new purpose, but he lost all that again. He was desperate, and the sceptre promised to let him to regain what he had lost. How desperate would you be, Tony, if you lost all your knowledge?"

"Well, I'm not a mediocre scientist to begin with-"

Ignoring Tony's comment, Raven shot Loki an incredulous glance. "Wait! Does that mean you knew all the time it was Selvig who took the sceptre?"

"I... suspected him."

"Great! Thanks for sharing!" Would she have acted differently if she'd known that? Probably not. It would have come less a surprise, though. She would have been more prepared, and... damn, she really needed a coffee now. It had been a long day, eventful day and she hadn't slept enough the previous night, thanks to Loki's nightmares.

Besides, with all that had happened at S.H.I.E.L.D central today, and not knowing if her _Memory Modifying Charm_ or Tony's attempt of tampering with virtual reality had taken any effect, it might be wiser to get out of the open of Central Park and lay low for a while. S.H.I.E.L.D might be looking for them right now, but there was a secure place nearby where they would never find them.

The_ Magical Manhattan Mall_ was just an old and broken phone booth away. Tony and Loki stared at her in bewilderment when she ushered them into it, closed the door and dialled the code. Immediately, an elevator took them downstairs.

It was a short, fast ride. Then a door opened to the centre of New York's wizarding commerce and entertainment scene, hidden just as well from the sight of Muggles as the famous Diagon Alley in London.

That, however, was the only thing these two places had in common. Unlike Diagon Alley, the _Magical Manhattan Mall _ was completely underground and huge in size, just as large as the park above it. A magical enchanted ceiling presented a clear and starry sky with the rosy glow of a new day rising at the eastern horizon.

Loki bumped into Tony as he stopped dead in his tracks, staring with eyes almost popping out of his head at the strange new world existing next to his own without him ever realizing. It came quite a shock for a science geek like him.

"Not possible," he whispered.

"It's not really that strange," Loki gave him a light push in the back to get past him, then he strolled to the nearest shop window. "Not stranger than a guy with a glowing arc-reactor in his chest."

"And wearing the shirt of a band whose singer bit off the head of a bat on stage." Raven added teasingly.

Since it was very early in the morning, most of the shops were still closed, but their blinking neon lights advertised what they were selling. You could buy all things magically related there- wands, cauldrons, robes and other wizarding wear, potion ingredients, wizarding candy, magical joke products, beasts and books.

Tony couldn't stop staring.

"I must have fallen into a rabbit hole. Now where's the Mad Hatter's Tea Party? Or is this Candid Camera?"

"None of it," Raven chuckled before she continued in a more serious tone. "It's all real. Magic exists- it always has, from the beginning of this world until today. You Muggles are just too fixated on trying to explain everything in a scientific approach without ever really noticing the parallel society living next to you. But magic isn't science you don't yet understand, nor is it a genome in your DNA that's waiting for freaks to analyse it." She fell silent, thinking of the FBI experiments, and shuddered. But Raven managed to shake off the feeling of unease that always befell her when remembering that, and a moment later she was quite cheerful again. "Come on guys, let's get a coffee! I dunno 'bout you but I'm dying for one."

They past a couple of shops, and although they were much larger and more modern than those in London's Diagon Alley, they still appeared slightly old-fashioned in comparison to the Muggle world of New York City- especially when it came to clothing.

Of course, neither Loki nor Tony ever noticed that. _Guys!_ But then Loki stopped at a book store, arching a brow at Raven as he pointed at the display.

"I didn't know your dear husband is such a celebrity in your world!" He said in a slightly mocking tone.

While Tony glanced at a large picture of Severus Snape, author of many potions books, Raven replied with a smug smile, "There are many things you don't know, dear Loki."

His lips twitched in acknowledgement; apparently he remembered having said the same words to her only a short time ago.

Again, she urged them to go on and crossed a square with a marble fountain showing a multitude of gargoyles spouting water in glittering cascades. Opposite of the book store was a coffee shop; _Hiberius' Coffee Plaza _was one of the few places that were always open in the _Magical Manhattan Mall. _Even that early in the morning, it was frequented by a number of clients- some were shopkeepers enjoying their first cup of coffee, others were young, wizarding party folk enjoying their last cup of coffee before heading home to snatch a few hours of sleep. These youngsters didn't differ much from Muggles of the same age. Instead of talking to each other, they were preoccupied with their smartphones, posting silly pictures or comments on Facebook or other social media because Hiberius didn't only sell good coffee- he also offered free Wi-Fi.

Truly a lot had changed since Raven had visited the _Magical Manhattan Mall_ for the first time in the late seventies.

They sat down at one of the tables outside the shop, and while waiting for their order, Raven lit a cigarette.

"Is it only me or does anyone else agree that we have to do something?" She asked. "Okay, the Tesseract is far away in Asgard now- but so is Jane, and she's been turned by Selvig, meaning she's a pawn of the Other just like Selvig. We've witnessed what he's capable of, and Thor's absolutely clueless about it-"

"Don't make such a drama about Thor being clueless; he's been for most of his life." Loki cut her off.

"But now his cluelessness might pose a threat to all in Asgard."

He just shrugged and stared into his coffee as if that wasn't new to him- after all, it had all started with Loki trying to protect Asgard from his brother's idiotic rule for a little longer; now he simply didn't care anymore.

"Loki, Thor does not know about the Other; he does not know about the sceptre or that both Selvig and Jane are turned into his pawns."

"All he has to do is to give her cognitive recalibration..."

Raven leaned over the table, looking into his eyes. "Yeah, and how likely is it that he knocks the woman he loves out with his hammer?"

He smirked at the idea and shook his head. "Admittedly, that's rather unlikely. And yet, there's nothing we can do about it. With the Bifrost destroyed and the Tesseract far away in Asgard, there's no way."

Loki seemed to be quite pleased with himself.

Raven was aware of his reluctance but she had also noticed a grain of hesitation in his words, as if there _was_ actually a way.

"Loki," smiling sweetly, she reached across the table and put her hand on his, "you're not being completely honest with me."

"Does that surprise you, little witch?" He placed his free hand on hers. "May I remind you that I'm known as the God of Lies?"

"Oh, I didn't claim you lied to me; I merely observed you seem to hold something back that might be relevant." Raven said, still smiling at him.

Loki smirked in return as he whispered, "Ooh, and you're burning to find out what it is..."

"In your own interest, Loki." She locked eyes with him. "Or do you believe the Other will stop once he's got the Tesseract? Do you really believe you will be safe here, then? What was it again that Selvig said about barren moons? Or, to be more precise, no barren moon, no crevice..."

Loki flinched as if he'd been slapped; he paled visibly and his smile faded.

Tony, who had followed their conversation with interest while sipping his coffee, used the moment of silence to bring himself in once again. "Okay, are you done with flirting?"

"I'm not flirting!" Raven insisted. "I'm a married witch."

"Right! That's not flirting." Loki agreed immediately, adding. "That's manipulation. And a poor attempt to boot if she thinks she merely has to bat her lashes to have me at her beck and call."

"Loki..."

"See, she's doing it again."

Tony laughed. "Yeah, and you look as if you're about to melt, Frosty."

"I'm not." Loki crossed his arms over his chest; the expression on his face was like that of a petulant child.

"Alright, so to sum it up- there are no other ways of travelling between worlds than Bifrost, which is destroyed, or using the power of the Tesseract." Raven concluded in a slightly challenging tone; she _knew_ that Loki had knowledge of more ways than he was willing to admit. She also knew he would tell her sooner or later, simply because he was striving for recognition of his advanced knowledge.

And she was right. It didn't take long until he vaguely said, "Well, there might be paths between the branches of Yggdrasil, known to only a few..."

"Known to you, I suppose?"

"Possibly." Loki shrugged. "But I'm not going back to Asgard."

"Very well. Then just show me the way."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Are you mad?"

"No, Loki. I'm simply used to doing my job thoroughly. I had a plan- it was to get the Tesseract and send it back to Asgard with Thor so that Earth will be save from that Chitauri freak. Well, and you too, if you remain here. But that plan went wrong. I failed. I have to fix it. The Tesseract is back in Asgard, but so is Jane, who has been turned into a pawn, a tool of the Other. And things are different now. When you controlled Barton and Selvig, they were still themselves. You used their abilities- Barton's as a master assassin and Selvig's as a scientist... admittedly, he has a strange obsession with the Tesseract if he calls a blue-glowing cosmic cube _she_ like a female person- but you didn't change their personalities. You didn't order Selvig to fight. Now, the Other is in control of him and you have just witnessed what has become of Selvig. He's not himself anymore. And I'm dreading what will become of Jane."

Tony appeared as if he wanted to say something but changed his mind; instead, he glanced expectantly at Loki just like Raven did.

It took a while before Loki finally spoke, his eyes on Raven. "Assuming I would tell you of other ways to get to Asgard, you still won't be able to go them due to your poorly advanced technology. You might pride yourselves in developing flying fortresses with glass cages you can drop from high above, but they're not suitable for space travelling. None of your aircrafts are efficient enough in power or speed."

Raven thought about that for a moment before she asked, "How about a Chitauri aircraft? These little ships they used during their attack on this city- would that do?"

"Probably." Loki frowned and shot her a perplexed glance. "Do you want to break into S.H.I.E.L.D _**again**_?"

"No need for that. One of them crashed into Sev's greenhouse the day of the attack and I... kept it. Well, I had it taken to headquarters for examination-"

"Whoa!" Tony chuckled. "You really like keeping alien souvenirs, eh?"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Raven ordered another coffee and while sipping it, she actually started to question her sanity. After all, it wasn't really _her_ fault that things had done wrong today; it was due to a series of unexpected circumstances she should rather blame Loki for because he had failed to tell her of his suspicion concerning Selvig.

She wondered when Selvig had turned Jane. Since he was friends with Thor and Jane there must have been plenty of opportunities but she assumed it had happened in the course of the last day- Thor must have told him of his impending departure and Selvig had panicked, afraid of losing the Tesseract. That was the most sensible explanation.

If there was any sense in this mess. After all, she had decided to travel to Asgard in order to set things right and warn Thor.

Great. Wonderful. Severus would simply _**love**_ that.

Heaving a sigh, Raven shot a brief glance at Loki. Of course, she understood his reluctance- he had a lot to fear if he went back to Asgard and acknowledging that fear was no lack of bravery in her eyes. Only a fool would jump headlong into danger without even considering the risks, and Loki was definitely no fool.

Nevertheless, he had agreed to lead her into Asgard if she could manage to fix that Chitauri aircraft. Well, _she_ couldn't. She was a witch, not an engineer. Therefore, her hopes were on Tony, who had already confirmed his cooperation and seemed to be eager to start tinkering.

But before they left for headquarters, there was still one thing she had to address.

"Tony, you may think you fell into rabbit hole, and we _are_ actually going to meet Alice soon- don't be disappointed if she doesn't look like you expect her to- but this place here is not Wonderland. It's reality." Her face took on a more serious expression now. "It is a world that exists next to the one you know, and it has laws just like yours. Tonight, I broke one of them-"

"Why does that not surprise me?" Tony cut in, implying that she broke more than just one law this night. But when he saw the look on her face he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut for her to continue.

"The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy is a law to safeguard the wizarding community from Muggles and hide its presence- I infringed upon it by taking you to the Mall. However, I wouldn't have taken you here in the first place if I weren't certain I can trust you with a secret."

Tony shot her a shrewd glance, then he nodded. "I appreciate your honesty. My lips are sealed."

Raven dropped a handful of strange and somewhat ancient looking silver coins on the table to pay for their coffees, before she led Tony and Loki further through the Magical Manhattan Mall and to another magical elevator that would take them upstairs to where Tony had parked his car. From there it would only be a short ride to headquarters... if the coast was clear, if her _Memory Modifying Charm _had actually worked and was still lasting, if S.H.I.E.L.D wasn't after them with the full force of their abilities, sending helicopters with infrared cameras and stuff like that.

They reappeared from the Wizarding world to the relative quietness of a sunny morning in the Muggle world. Of course, there were the noises of the city (which was never quiet) but no sound of helicopters, nor were any agents of S.H.I.E.L.D to be seen roaming the park, trying to hunt them down. No one seemed to be after them.

They got into Tony's car. Probably it was one of many but for for today he'd chosen a small and racy one with hardly enough space for three people. Soon they were on their way to WIIA headquarters.

Raven thought it would be a lot of fun to confront the guys with the ghost of Frank, the flower shop owner, but since she didn't know if Tony could see him at all- and it was a silly idea anyway- she opted for driving into the garage instead.

A simple Unlocking Charm opened a secret door to the subterranean parking lot which held the fleet of WIIA cars, most of them old and battered. Although wizards knew of better ways of transport than driving (especially if you considered the traffic in New York City) there were situations when a car was useful, and these old ones were probably less suspicious than the typical big, dark vehicles that organisations like S.H.I.E.L.D were so fond of.

While they walked along a narrow, dimly-lit corridor from the garage to Alice Steel's office, Raven took a deep breath. She had briefed her boss earlier about her plan to break into S.H.I.E.L.D central in order to get the Tesseract, and Al had been okay with that. Raven doubted, though, that she would be pleased with the final outcome... after all, things _had_ gone pretty wrong. She also doubted Al would like her newest plan- travelling to Asgard to set things right.

On the other hand, her boss was probably much easier to convince of the necessity than her dear husband... Raven thought of the argument they'd had earlier today and couldn't help but feel guilty for hoping Alice would make it an official assignment. Simply because the old Auror still had an adventurous streak-

Damn! Almost instantly, she regretted her train of thoughts. She loved Severus; she was happy with him. He was her best friend, her lover, her husband. All was well. Life was perfect.

But at the same time there was that nagging feeling troubling her, particularly in moments like these when happiness didn't seem to satisfy her, when she wanted more- the thrill of adventure, of seeing and experiencing something new, something exciting. Travelling new ways, visiting a new world...

It even showed in her vita. Never stopping, always searching. That's why she knew the basics of many things but wasn't an expert in anything. So unlike Severus, who was the only steady thing in her life. _He_ knew what he wanted, and he had worked hard to gain his reputation of being one of the world's best potion's master; that conference in Kathmandu, lasting for a fortnight, was his big chance to prove the world that he was probably the best.

The only time she had shown endurance and persistence was when she had strived to win Sev's love so many years ago, knowing they were meant to be together. She had had to face years of rejection because he had been in love with the idea of loving Lily- _Saint-Lily-on-the-pedestal_\- therefore, Raven knew what it was like to live in the shadow of someone else's greatness... it was probably a reason why she understood Loki so well, why he had let go and didn't want to return to Asgard...

That moment, they reached the door to Alice Steel's office. Raven took another deep breath, knocked, and entered.

"Hi Al!" She greeted the old Auror, who was sitting behind her desk just like she always did; Alice Steel seemed to be living in her office. Raven, however, knew that her friend and mentor did have a private life and not really a quiet one. "May I introduce to you-"

"I know who they are." Alice rose from her chair in order to greet Tony and Loki, limping ever so slightly in the process. She had scars of many battles; some were visible while others were not, but no one in their sane state of mind would have dared to underestimate her, mistaking her for an old and disabled witch, because in spite of all her scars she still radiated an air of authority and power.

"Mr Stark, I'm pleased to meet the infamous Iron Man." She smiled at Tony before she turned her head to face the Asgardian. "Loki, son of Frigga, welcome to Midgard."

Loki frowned at her; although it was nice to finally being welcomed to this realm, that was probably the most unusual way he'd ever been addressed and he thought about reminding the old witch that either Odinson or Laufeyson were more appropriate names to entitle him... but then he thought about it again and refrained from voicing any protest because he actually liked that- _son of Frigga. _It had a nice ring (much nicer than Laufeyson anyway), even if she wasn't his real mother. She had not given birth to him, but she had given him more than anyone else when she had shared her magic with him.

And the old witch knew that.

Al smirked ever so slightly before she focussed her attention on Raven again, asking almost casually, "So, lass, what went wrong? Don't tell me you only came here to introduce these two charming boys to me."

Tony arched a brow. Of course he was used to be called charming, but it had been a while since someone has called him boy- on the other hand, he'd never met anyone as old (in an obvious way, not counting Thor or Loki who were even older but they were demigods from a faraway world) as Alice Steel.

Meanwhile, Raven gave her boss a short but efficient briefing about last night's events.

In the end, the old Auror nodded and glanced at Loki as if she was expecting him to add anything.

He shrugged. "Odin is vain but he won't present the Tesseract in a big parade; he will keep it in his vault where it is just as useless as all the other relics he collected. I doubt a mortal woman like Jane Foster will manage to break into the vault and steal it."

"He will keep it securely locked up in that vault all the time?" Al asked.

"Yes. Asgard is in no need of a meddling little witch to come and save it." Loki stole a quick glance at Raven, quite pleased with himself, when all of a sudden he realized the flaw in his plan. He cursed quietly. "Damn. Odin will use the Tesseract to restore the Bifrost-"

"Whoa! Stop!" Tony interjected in an alarmed tone. "Did you just say Odin will use one powerful energy source to... um, sort of kick-start another one which is a bridge between worlds? Sorry, rhetorical question. I assume- correct me if I'm wrong- that the combined powers of the Tesseract and the Bifrost will be all a clever and corrupted astrophysicist like our dear Jane Foster needs to open another portal-"

"Now you're wrong, Stark." Loki cut him off, but his face didn't show the satisfaction his words indicated. "There is no need to _open_ a portal; the Bifrost itself is the portal."

"Yeah, right, that bridge between worlds thing..."

"Between the nine realms of Yggdrasil." Loki corrected him again.

"With the power of the Tesseract it may be possible to open the bridge beyond the borders of your nine realms. It's an invitation for the Chitauri to invade Asgard." Tony concluded.

"They will fall on thousands of Asgardian blades. The Chitauri forces lack finesse; they're no match for the Einherjar, our army of elite warriors."

"Who will be totally unprepared."

"Tony is right." Raven said. "Your people have to be warned, even if you don't care about anyone in Asgard-"

"Heimdall." Loki interrupted her. "He sees and hears everything. He will notice Thor's beloved mortal is being controlled by the Other, and he will tell Thor."

"He sees and hears everything? He will notice? Really? Just like he noticed you were... um, _heavily influenced_ by the Chitauri?"

"Well, maybe he doesn't see and hear that much of everything." Loki replied casually, but he paled at the thought that Heimdall might have witnessed what had happened in Chitauri space. Then he shook his head. "Heimdall thought I was dead; he wasn't looking for me. I was galaxies away and he celebrated my demise. He never liked me much and since I turned him into an icicle he probably hates me."

"Whoa, you turned him into an icicle?" Tony asked, sounding slightly amused.

"He defied my orders as King of Asgard!" Loki snapped in a defensive tone. "I had to punish him for his act of treason."

"Ho! Don't take offence, Frosty. Just show me that trick in case I want to put the Captain back on ice." Tony quipped casually. Although they had fought together successfully, he still couldn't shake off a certain feeling of resentment, mainly because his father had never shut up about that guy.

Both men were smirking now; it eased the mood for a moment before Raven continued, spoiling it again.

"Anyway, that Heimdall guy may or may not notice what's wrong with Jane. Thor didn't notice and he spent all day with her. Either she's good at hiding it- which I doubt- or the Other uses her _cooperation_ only in moments that suits him best. Therefore, it is still possible she will open the Bifrost for the Chitauri. But what will happen to her in the chaos of battle that will most likely ensue, then? Will your elite Asgardian warriors kill her and plunge Thor into despair because he lost the one he loves? Is that what you want, Loki? Do you really hate him that much?"

He chose to not reply, and although he tried to keep up a straight face, Raven noticed his uncertainty. It showed in tiny little expressions he just couldn't hide... no, he didn't hate Thor. He wanted to be light-years away from him, but it wasn't out of hatred. It was because he'd grown so weary of living in the shadow of his brother's apparent greatness, of always being second best.

Raven knew that feeling. Although Severus had chosen her over Lily in the end, and they were happy together for more than thirty years now, she had never forgotten how it was to live in the shadow of someone else.

"Loki," she whispered softly as she took a step closer to him, "It's not my intention to push you, or corner you. I know what's at stake for you if you return to Asgard... all I'm asking you is to show me the way."

Alice Steel cleared her throat. "You forgot to mention you're planning a little trip abroad, lass."

"Well, that's what we've been talking about this entire time..."

"Tell her it's madness!" Loki addressed the old Auror, hoping for her support. But she let him down, arching a stern white brow at him.

"Is it? What's madness anyway? Was it madness that sprang you from jail or Raven's stubborn belief that you're worth saving?" She asked calmly.

"Oh, you want to remind me that I owe her?"

Loki was back in a defensive mode. Raven shot Al a dark glance and sighed; things seemed to go totally wrong.

"Damn. This is not about collecting a debt." Actually, she had hoped she might be able to give him a gentle shove towards redemption he wasn't actively seeking. He didn't even consider trying to atone for his crimes, his fault, his follies. Perhaps he thought the price too high, and he would definitely risk a lot if he returned to Asgard, but there was also a lot to gain. She knew Thor would forgive Loki almost everything if he helped saving Jane Foster. It was a chance that might never come back, and Raven wanted him to take it, even if it was only grudgingly and she had to manipulate him a little.

"Do we still have a deal?" She was standing very close to him now, and her voice was a low whisper, bewitching him.

Loki stared at he for a long, indecisive moment, cursing her sparkling blue eyes, the soft smile on her lips, and the overall fact that she was a female and he hadn't been with one for what felt like ages... of course, he was aware that she used flirtation as a means of manipulation, but he enjoyed their little game too much to mind. Simply because she didn't even try to hide her poor attempt to outwit him.

It didn't make her more predictable, though.

Actually, he liked that, too.

"Show me that Chitauri chariot," he said at long last.

-ooOoo-

At first glance, WIIA headquarters didn't differ much from other investigative and intelligence agencies; perhaps it was less formal than the FBI and more casual than S.H.I.E.L.D. The people he saw on their way down the corridors weren't wearing suits or uniforms, and for a moment Tony almost forgot the rabbit hole he had fallen into. The offices they passed were equipped with computers and other technical devices just like everywhere else in the world- _his world_, he reminded himself- and they didn't appear as technically outdated as he would have expected. But after having met Director Alice Steel, who was quite a formidable person, he wasn't much surprised because he was quite certain she wouldn't tolerate anything less than the best.

Here and there he spotted an employee looking kinda weird, wearing billowing robes and a pointed hat; most of the agents, however, were dressed in a _normal_ way.

Just like in every other base of an investigative organisation, there were a fair number of laboratories and workshops he could steal a glance at. From what he could see, they were also well equipped with modern technology- then they passed a potions lab and his eyes almost bulged at the sight of simmering cauldrons emitting colourful fumes, and in the dim light he saw ingredients he didn't really want to identify.

Loki noticed his unease and chuckled darkly.

Tony turned around to glare at him, but before he could say anything witty, he nearly got decapitated by a broomstick soaring over his head.

"Agent Primrose!" Raven barked in a sharp tone. "No broomstick races in the corridors!"

"Sorry, Ma'am," the young agents replied remorseful as he made an U-turn and came flying back towards them, "but the evidence escaped."

Tony thought he was just making a jest in order to evade her reprimand when he heard the snapping sound of sharp-toothed jaws. He cast a glance in the direction where it came from and stared in disbelief at the shrunken head dangling bodiless in mid-air right in front of his face, baring its yellowish teeth at him.

Before it could bite off his nose, Agent Primrose snatched the shrunken head by its ponytail of bright green hair and held it up it triumph.

"Got it!"

"Fantastic, Agent Primrose!" The sarcasm was dripping from Raven's words, "but you're aware that you wouldn't have to chase the evidence if you kept to one simply rule, are you?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the young agent had gotten off his broom and was standing in front of her now, his gaze lowered to the floor. "I will keep the door of the lab closed when examining dangerous evidence."

Then he risked a glance at the two man accompanying Raven. It was plain to see he recognized the famous Tony Stark and would have asked for his autograph if not for the stern expression on Raven's face. Since she was not only a senior agent, several level above him, but also the right hand of Alice Steel, he thought it wiser to not anger her even more. Therefore, he mounted his broomstick again and flew back to where he'd come from.

"And I thought that was just another myth- witches riding on broomsticks... except that he was a guy, a wizard." Tony said as they continued their way.

"Well, there are some traditions that'll never die," Raven replied, "like riding brooms or playing Quidditch-"

"Quidditch?"

"The most popular wizarding sport. However, the wizarding kids of today aren't as traditional as many of my generation are; they post the latest Quidditch results on Facebook and share them with their friends... a lot of things have changed since the invention of smartphones... " She fell silent for a while, pondering if things had changed for the better or the worse but couldn't make up her mind. Fortunately, neither Tony nor Loki expected her to.

A moment later they reached the room where the Chitauri spacecraft was being kept, standing there like an exhibit in a museum. There was even a chair on which you could sit and watch it. Apart from that, the room was empty.

Loki cast a fleeting glance at the chariot, and noticed, "It's broken."

Then he turned around in an attempt to leave the room, but Raven grabbed his arm to stop him

"I told you it crashed into Sev's greenhouse! Of course that leaves a scratch or two."

"Scratch? The whole front part including the handlebar is damaged."

"Well, that's what we've got Mr Technogod for."

"Oh, you're talking about me?" Tony had already walked closer to the Chitauri ship in order to give it a more scrutinizing glance.

"No, you're definitely not a god." Loki replied in a snappish tone. It was obvious he had hoped that the chariot was badly damaged, so Raven would have to give up her idiotic idea of travelling to Asgard, but he had forgotten that Tony might be able to repair it.

"A god like you?" Tony countered, sounding quite cheerful as he doubted Loki's divinity.

Fortunately, Loki was not in the mood to quarrel over it. He merely said, "Tell the witch you cannot fix it. Apparently, it is beyond repair or the wizarding agents of this fine organisation here would have done it already."

"Um..." Raven cut in, "I'm pretty sure no one has ever tried to fix it, simply because there are limits to the technical understanding of wizards and witches. We just don't care about the rules of physics. No matter how modern and advanced we are, our knowledge of technology is limited to operating technical devices without having a clue how these things work."

"Well, I assume the majority of non-witchy folks don't have a clue 'bout the technology of a smartphone either, and yet everyone's using them... but, yeah, I got your point. Physics and hocus-pocus don't match."

"In Asgard, they do." The words slipped Loki's lips and although he bit his tongue, he couldn't take them back. It had been his intention to mock the poorly advanced technology of Midgard, but instead he had just foolishly offered Tony his assistance. And Tony accepted it with a good-natured clap on his shoulder.

"Now that Frosty is going to help me, I'm certain we'll manage to fix that monstrous flying alien jet-ski. But," he took a look around the room and shook his head, "we can't do it here. I need Jarvis to run a diagnostic check on the actuation system and acceleration first, then I have to do a bit of tinkering here and there... so, we have to take it to Stark Tower- top ten floors all R&amp;D-"

"I doubt it will fit in your vehicle." Loki reminded him.

Tony realized the problem at once and produced his phone in order to organize a truck, but before he could even dial any number, Raven had already brandished her wand and was aiming it at the Chitauri chariot.

"Whoa! What are you up to now?"

She muttered a spell, and Tony almost dropped his phone when he saw the alien spacecraft shrinking in size until it looked like a toy Chitauri chariot.

Raven picked it up and handed it to him with a smile on her face.

"I guess that solves the problem. Don't worry, the spell doesn't influence any technical aspect- I use it on my Harley every time I have to travel abroad and want to take it along. I will enlarge it again once it is in your tower, but first I have to inform Al that we took it."

While Loki left with Tony, heading for the garage, Raven took another deep breathe before she entered the office of her boss for the second time today. Without the guys around, Al might be less reluctant to chide her for her crazy idea of travelling to Asgard.

But the old Auror merely heaved a sigh and glanced at her protégé for a long time, then she asked a single question. "Do you thinks it's wise to trust him?"

Of course, she meant Loki.

"I've never been wise," Raven replied with a smile, "but I'm not foolish either. I know that Loki is not the most trustworthy person in the universe. However, in the end it doesn't matter if I trust him; all that matters is if he trusts me. If he does- and I believe he's at least beginning to- I won't let him down, and he won't betray me."

"I understand your strategy, and I hope you're right. Do me a favour and be careful, lass."

"Does that mean you green-light my trip to Asgard?"

"Only if you promise to come back safe and sound, because otherwise your dear husband will kill me..."

"Yeah, Sev will hate the very idea." Raven agreed.

"Ah," Al waved aside that thought with an impatient gesture, her green eyes sparkling mischievously, "don't worry about him. If I was as young as you are, I wouldn't want to miss the chance to see a new world, either. Just take care and keep me briefed on how you're proceeding with that alien spacecraft."

-ooOoo-

When Raven arrived at Stark Tower, Tony and Loki were cheerfully bitching at each other over the fact that Loki had not deemed it necessary to wait for her to enlarge the chariot, but had done it himself. Now Tony was fretting that the Asgardian might have blotched it up while frantically checking several computer screens of data Jarvis had provided him with.

"She said there's a special counter hocus-pocus!" Tony stressed.

"And I countered her hocus-pocus," Loki replied casually, lounging on a sofa that stood in the workshop as he watched the other man bustling from one screen to the other.

"Hey guys! Having fun?" Raven chirped as she entered the workshop, glancing around.

There were work benches piled with blueprints, tools, and what looked like half-finished pieces of armour, while at the other end of the room a complete Iron Man suit was standing. Raven knew his suits were numbered from Mark I to whatever number he had reached by now.

"Frosty chose to not wait for your return but enlarged the alien jet-ski on his own." Tony said in an accusing tone without even looking up from his holographic computer screens.

"I noticed." She sat down on the sofa next to Loki and stretched her legs, feeling tired. It's been a long, exhausting and exciting day that had started much too early the previous morning with Loki's nightmares. Now, more than twenty-four hours and some adventures later, she glanced at him and envied him for not looking as tired as she felt. But more than that she was curious to hear how he'd managed to counter her spell if he did really know as little about Midgardian magic as he claimed.

It was obvious he would have loved to keep her in the dark about it; he hesitated for a moment before he finally shrugged and replied with a smug smile on his face, "I simply reversed the magic you used."

Simple but effective, Raven realized when she checked the magical aura of the chariot; her charm had been lifted without using a specific counter-curse- and, what was even more important, without causing any more damage to the Chitauri spacecraft.

She arched a surprised brow at him because she had half-expected him to sabotage her plan of travelling to Asgard and with it the only means of transport that might get her there. But he had resisted that chance, which just proved she was right to trust in him, and that he wouldn't betray her if she did.

"Good move," she said appreciatory.

"We already established earlier that Asgardian and Midgardian magic doesn't differ much- except, of course, that you're much too fond of incantations and all that silly wand-waving."

Yeah, she remembered that- he had claimed she could do magic without using her wand, and she had replied that there was actually one spell she could do wandlessly, namely... _Accio Wand_. She could wandlessly Summon her wand. He had been amused.

Now, she ignored his comment and directed her attention to Tony instead, asking him to give her a briefing on the damage caused to the chariot due to its crash into Sev's greenhouse, and what it would take to repair that.

Tony gave a lengthy reply. He started with listing what was broken- and that was the only part of his monologue Raven got, simply because the damage was obvious. But then he continued with a lot of technobabble, and there she lost the threat. Whatever it needed to get the chariot back in the air and capable of travelling to other realms or planets, it sounded like Chinese villages or African tribes to her. Meaning, she had absolutely no clue of what he was talking about.

Soon, her eyelids became very heavy...

-ooOoo-

"I'm impressed. You managed to lull her to sleep with your babble."

Loki had joined Tony at the holographic projection screens in order to check the data Jarvis provided them with, but when he didn't hear a word from Raven for a while, he turned his head to cast a fleeting glance in her direction and saw her dozing on the sofa. He smirked.

"You like her, eh?"

Loki shrugged it off as if Tony's words were totally ludicrous, then he said casually, "I had worse allies. Compared to the Chitauri, she's quite pleasant."

"You really are a charmer. I'm wondering if you're ever lucky with girls if the nicest you can think of is to admit she's more pleasant than a bunch of alien freaks."

"Do me a favour and mind your own business, Stark. You're mistaking my interest for sentiments I do not possess, and if I seemed to be flirting with her it was just for the fun of manipulation."

"Oh, indeed?" Tony cocked a brow at the Asgardian. "Strangely, to me it seemed as if she bested you in that. She wound you 'round her little finger-"

"Don't be absurd!" Loki cut him off. "I merely allowed her to believe she's got the upper hand."

"Yeah, sure." It was obvious that Tony didn't believe him, but instead of unnecessarily exhausting that point, he said in a more conciliatory tone, "You know, Frosty, after all she's done for you, it's about time you come to trust her."

"Trust her? Just like you do, Stark? You speak of trust, and yet you don't put all your cards on the table, either. You lied to her the morning before when she asked what is troubling you. You always pretend to be different but you're just as dishonest as I am."

"I told her it's something personal."

"Something personal? In S.H.I.E.L.D's secret files? You aren't even a good liar."

"Um..." It didn't happen often that Tony Stark was at a loss and couldn't come up with a witty remark. He stared at Loki, wondering why he had to defend himself anyway. Maybe it was because Loki _was_ right. At least a little. Yes, he _had_ lied to Raven, and he knew that she knew it. But what he had discovered in Fury's secret files was so was so horrendous, so atrocious, it still gave him the creeps. He tried to keep telling himself that perhaps he had simply misinterpreted something- after all, he didn't know much about medicine, so probably he was making a fuss about something that wasn't really worth fretting about, which was the only reason he hadn't called Bruce yet... he didn't want Bruce to laugh and ask if he'd watched too many horror movies lately...

Lost in thoughts, Tony operated the coffee machine that sat in the corner of his workshop, and a little later, the smell of freshly grounded coffee filled the room.

But before he could take a sip, Loki had snatched the mug out of his hand and was taking it to Raven, rousing her.

"Wake up, little witch," he said with a devious smile, "Tony's dying to tell you what he lied about before."

_Rotten little bastard_, Tony thought while Raven sat up with a groan, running sleepy fingers through her hair as she greedily reached for the mug in Loki's hand.

After she had taken a few sips of the brew, Raven arched a quizzical brow at Tony. "What do you want to tell me?"

Meanwhile, Loki had taken a comfortable seat on the sofa next to her, expectantly glancing at Tony.

She noticed his unease at once; in spite of what Loki claimed, Tony didn't really want to talk about the things that still seemed to worry him as much as on the previous day.

"I... um..." He busied himself with the coffee machine again, feeling cornered. His pulse rate was accelerating and he had to fight the urge to call 'Deploy' and hide in one of his suits- they were all there, his latest creations, looking so tempting, so protective and safe...

"Tony," Raven said in a soft, assuring tone, "I'm not pressing you, calm down. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

Loki heaved a disappointed sounding sigh, and perhaps it was just that what finally sparked Tony's decisiveness.

After all, she had taken him to hocus-pocus-wonderland even though it was forbidden...

_'I wouldn't have taken you here in the first place if I weren't certain I can trust you with a secret.'_

"Okay... well, then... you studied medicine, if I recall correctly?"

"Only for three years," Raven reminded him, nevertheless he approached her with a tablet and handed it to her. The text seemed to show the health record of a middle-aged man. She skimmed it and was just about to tell Tony that she wasn't the right person to ask since she had tried to avoid living patients during her years at the medical school- after all, she had wanted to become a medical examiner, the Miss Quincy of the wizarding world, and not a doctor- but when she scrolled further down, she saw it was actually a death certificate.

"Well," she said then, "it seems the guy is dead. Stabbed in the back by a pointed object-"

"Yes. Yes, I know that." Tony stared at Loki with narrowed eyes.

"Oh shit!" Raven exclaimed when realisation hit her. "That guy is Agent Coulson."

The silence that followed was an uncomfortable one. Tony didn't have to confirm it, and Loki was too busy picking invisible lint from his trousers to make an attempt and defend himself.

"So, what do you want to know from me now, Tony? Are you wondering if Coulson could have been saved?" She shrugged. "I don't think so. The blade sliced through multiple vital organs; he died of massive internal bleeding." Raven scrolled down some more and frowned upon noticing, "They made a virtual autopsy."

Although it was obvious what and even who had killed him- she cast a brief glance at Loki, who avoided her eyes, but she doubted he was truly feeling guilty- the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D had opted for a virtual autopsy, using only MRI and CT as means of examinations, bewildered her a little. She had thought they would do it more... thoroughly.

Before she could voice her astonishment, Tony spoke up.

"Fury wants to bring him back. Is that possible?"

"In Pet Sematary, it is." It sounded like a jest with pop culture references, but his words rang an alarm and caused a cold shiver to run down Raven's spine. She tried to shake off the feeling of unease that had befallen her by giving Tony a more logical and scientifically plausible answer. "Coulson died the day of the attack on New York City. His heart stopped beating due to the drop of blood pressure caused by internal bleeding. They didn't even try to revive him, which means his brain suffered irreversible damage, and his death certificate was issued a day later. Even S.H.I.E.L.D with all its advanced technology cannot bring back a man dead for days."

"And yet, Fury means to do exactly that." Tony insisted.

"No matter how much I dislike Fury, I doubt he's in the zombie business- because that's all he would gain by trying to resurrect Coulson, who's as brain-dead as overcooked cauliflower. A zombie. And Fury isn't versed in the Dark Arts, let alone in magic in general, to achieve even that. Fortunately. Because there are rules to magic you simply do not overstep."

Her world had its share of Dark Lords; it was enough to last for a lifetime, and she was certain no new one had silently arisen just to tempt Fury. Tony must have misunderstood something...

"Well, look at Project T.A.H.I.T.I."

She would have loved to do so, but Loki had already snatched the tablet from her and was scrolling down the page. Frowning, he said, "I agree to the witch- even if the idea of creating an army of undead soldiers marching to my pipe is tempting- there are some rules even I wouldn't break thoughtlessly... but, apparently, Fury found a way. What is GH-325?"

"I thought you could tell me." Tony glanced at Raven, who was leaning over Loki's shoulder in order to read the text displayed on the tablet. "Is it a magical serum?"

"No." She looked up and shook her head. "We prefer to call things for what they are, like Babbling Beverage, Draught of Peace, Garotting Gas, Magical Mess Remover, Strengthening Solution, Wolfsbane Potion- you see, we're using names instead of letters and numbers. Whatever that GH-325 is, it is definitely not of magical origin. And whatever Fury is up to, he will fail. There's nothing you can do about it, Tony. Agent Phil Coulson is dead. He died almost a fortnight ago; he's a vegetable by now. Let him rest in peace and focus on our main problem instead." She pointed at the Chitauri chariot. "Get that thing back up in the air again."


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: This is probably my last update this year, so merry XMAS to everyone who likes it, reads it, favoures it or even reviews. Thank you._

_And a big thanks goes to my beta, Ellanor, who keeps me from butchering the English language totally. You know you're the best. Thank you for being there. I love you._

_Now, please read and enjoy, and don't forget to leave feedback. _

_Give me some reviews._

Chapter 11

It wasn't his fault. He hadn't asked Coulson to threaten him with an enormous weapon, not knowing what it would do.

_'We started working on the prototype after you sent the Destroyer...'_

Well, it wasn't his fault that he'd _had_ to send the Destroyer. If the Idiots Three had obeyed his order as King of Asgard, it wouldn't have been necessary.

It wasn't his fault either, that Fury had developed ambitions to raise the dead- because no matter what the witch said about letting him rest in peace, she was worried that Fury might have actually found a way.

Although that was the one rule in magic even Loki wouldn't overstep, Tony was glaring at him as if it _was_ all his fault.

Of all the people Loki had killed, he hadn't expected it would be Coulson's blood that was hardest to wipe off his hands, and he felt as if he had shot himself in the back again. Probably it was a foolish notion anyway to believe that things would ever change. The blood was on his hands, gushing red, and it would never go away. There was no forgiveness, no redemption for a man like him. _Pathetic sentiments! _He would always be an outcast...

Loki stole a glance at Tony, who didn't seem to be satisfied with Raven's answer, and it was indeed not very satisfying to be told that there's nothing you can do, so go back to work.

Slowly, he rose from the sofa and approached Tony; he didn't quite know what to say, and he would certainly not encourage him to start researching on GH-325- whatever it was- but he could offer him a helping hand with the chariot.

Tony frowned at him, then he shrugged and said, "You done lazing on the sofa? Great! Give me that screwdriver."

-ooOoo-

Raven released a breath she hadn't noticed holding when the two men started working together again. After what had come to light, she had believed Tony would blame Loki for all that possibly happened to Agent Coulson- well, probably he still did. But although Loki was unquestionably responsible for Coulson's death, he was not to blame for Fury's sacrilegious ambitions to bring him back to life.

Of course, one could argue now that Fury wouldn't have to go to extremes if Loki hadn't killed Coulson, but it was one thing to kill someone in battle- and Coulson was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, aware of the dangers of his job as well as of the risk he had taken by trying to fight Loki on his onesies- while it was an entirely different thing to dabble with shady science or the Dark Arts in order to conquer death.

The Dark Arts might give you the illusion it is actually possible because there are ways to raise the dead and bring back something that moves and is vaguely human... like a zombie, or worse. It still gave her the creeps when she thought of Voldemort... even after all those years she would never forget his snake-like face, his features distorted by the evil power flowing in his veins, glowing in his blood-red eyes. Yes, he had managed to conquer death; he had split his soul in pieces, had shattered it for the sake of immortality. In the end, he had lost nonetheless.

Although she doubted the success of Fury's ambitions, Raven _hoped _he would fail for the sake of Agent Coulson's soul- because wherever that GH-325 originated from, the price Fury was willing to pay was too high and the risk too great.

You just cannot fool Death.

Fury should have listened to the Ramones, singing about flesh rotting, the smell of death all around; of molars and fangs, the clicking of bones, and spirits moaning among the tombstones in a dream you cannot escape when the moon is bright and something ain't right-.

_'I don't want to be buried in a Pet Sematary, I don't want to live my life again...'_

Well, but apparently Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D was not a punk rock fan, and there was nothing she could do about it, no way to spare Coulson the fate his boss had chosen for him... because there were more pressing matters at hand.

The Chitauri- or, to be more precise, their chief, The Other.

That alien freak was still after the Tesseract, and he was still in control of Selvig and the doom-stick of destiny, previously known as Loki's sceptre. So where was Selvig now? Where had he gone to after the recent events at S.H.I.E.L.D central? Where was he hiding?

All of a sudden, an idea crossed her mind and she cleared her throat. "Loki...after you stole the Tesseract from that S.H.I.E.L.D research base, where did you go then?"

Loki shot a brief glance in her direction and frowned before he turned around again with a shrug.

"Somewhere..." He replied at long last, and was about to focus on whatever he and Tony were doing. But he was wrong if he thought Raven would be satisfied with such a vague answer.

"Yeah, obviously. Care to specify on that? I mean, you needed a place to go; you had to provide Selvig with all the technology to finish his research on the Tesseract-"

"Barton took care of the logistics." Loki cut her off, not wanting to recall the cold and barren corridors of his memories, the booted feet of mercenaries echoing in the desolate halls of a dark and gloomy place, the voice of the Other in his head, demanding a report... but he was already back there, sitting on a step between two pillars, the sceptre in his hand, calling, calling, calling... urging him to follow the biddings of the one who controlled it, controlled him... that damnable voice in his head he never wanted to hear again...

"You know, Frosty, it can't hurt to think about it," Tony interjected. "Her question makes sense- unless, of course, you abandoned your secret lair in a big bang."

Loki shook his head. He hadn't ordered Barton to blow up the place. Perhaps, he should have...

"I don't know where we went. I didn't care." He sighed and started nibbling his lips, his eyes cast to the floor. "I... I have to admit I wasn't myself at that time. Travelling all the way from a galaxy far away to Midgard had taken its toll on me and-"

"Yeah, I remember the footage of your arrival; you looked like death warmed over."

"Well, thank you for your kind compliment, little witch; I will return it in due time. Nevertheless, I still do not know where we went. I was on the back of a pick-up driving through the night. I don't remember much of that trip, nor the precise destination Barton took us to. He planned everything; he chose our lair.."

"So, I have to ask Agent Barton." Raven concluded. Tony and Loki were chuckling as if she'd just made a jest.

"I doubt he will cooperate, no matter how manipulatively you bat your lashes at him," Loki replied in a careless tone, then he fell silent and stared at her, knowing at once that she hadn't been jesting. "Oh no. No, no, no. We all know you're extremely foolish, but you will give up that stupid idea immediately."

"I wasn't planning to bat my lashes at him-"

"You won't try to track him down and hex him, either. It's too dangerous." Loki glanced at Tony for support and for once Stark agreed with him.

"I hate to say it, but Frosty is right. Barton is probably still extremely pissed off after last night's events; you really shouldn't cross his path any time soon."

Raven refrained from telling them that she considered herself perfectly capable of handling Barton. Damn, she wasn't just a witch; she was a trained Auror and an agent like Barton. Okay, she lacked his skills in combat- but why fight anyone if she could simply hex them?

"I will ask Jarvis to check on abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D hideouts and safe houses. We know the location of the operation base for Project Pegasus, we know the average speed of the pick-up trucks S.H.I.E.L.D is using, and assuming that Barton was heading for the New York City area, Jarvis will be able to calculate the approximate perimeter of that place." Tony suggested while he was already feeding his AI with the required data. "It might take a while, but we'll get a hit."

_And if Barton had _**not**_ used an abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D base? _Raven wondered silently. _Then it would still be like searching the needle in the haystack, and all of Stark's advanced technology would be useless..._

"Stark is right." Loki said, reminding her that they had more pressing matters at hand, like trying to get the Chitauri chariot back up in the air again.

_Lovely, they're bonding_. She liked that, even if it seemed to be against her. But since there wasn't anything she could do to help them with the alien spacecraft anyway, she could just as well leave them to whatever they were doing... and while they were still working on a way to travel to Asgard, she would ponder over something else, like how to stop Selvig without having to kill or cause any more harm to him, because he was just as much a victim in this madness as Loki was...

Raven didn't tell them what she was up to; she didn't have a concrete plan when she left the guys, claiming she was heading home to take a nap, and probably she was really looking tired since Tony offered to take Loki out for dinner later, so that she wouldn't have to bother about that.

When she grinned, it didn't go unnoticed. Loki arched a brow at her, but she just shrugged and warned Tony to not take him out to have shawarma. Then she Disapparated.

As soon as she arrived home, Raven called Rocco at the WIIA, asking a favour. He assured her that he could do it and so she hung up again in order to call Severus, who actually answered his phone after the first ring, sounding worried. The last time they had talked was before her break-in at S.H.I.E.L.D, and he hadn't liked that plan very much. Now, he was relieved to hear she was alright. She didn't want to start another argument, so she refrained from telling him of her newest plans because he would like them even less. There was still plenty of time to mention her intention of travelling to Asgard. At the moment, after last night's events, it was quite soothing to listen to his experiences at the potions conference in Kathmandu.

Rocco called her back a while later to inform her that he had managed to arrange what she had asked him to.

"I sent a message from Agent Romanov to Agent Barton's phone, and he agreed to meet her at the _Russian Tea Palace_ at 8 P.M. All incoming messages between them will be re-directed to your phone. Am I great?"

"You're the best, sharp tooth. Ta!" Although Tony's AI was a wonderful thing, Raven preferred to work with real people even if Rocco was dead and a vampire. _Dead and yet alive... well, sort of... _ She had to think of Agent Phil Coulson again.

"Is there anything else you need me to do, sunshine?" Rocco asked, interrupting her reminiscence.

"I... um- have you ever heard of a serum or something like that called GH-325?"

"Nah. What's that supposed to be?"

"Something to bring back the dead... Is there any new Dark Lord rising somewhere? A mighty vampire prince perhaps? Or a voodoo priest I haven't heard of since I've been too busy with aliens lately?"

Rocco answered all of her questions in the negative and she could almost see him frown as his long fingernails were clicking on the keyboard. "Nope. No unusual occurrences- with the exception of a large gathering of potioneers in Kathmandu. By the way, how is your dear husband?"

"Fine," Raven replied curtly since she didn't want to talk about Severus now. Although she missed him dearly, she already dreaded the conversation they were soon to have considering her coming travel to Asgard. But now was not the right time to worry about that; she had to focus on something else entirely.

"And how is your lovely Asgardian prince?"

"Rocco!" And then there were moment she envied Tony for his AI, ready to swap nosy, capricious vampire for the voice of logic and reason anytime. "Loki is **not** _my _Asgardian, nor is he _lovely. _He might be a prince but most of the time he's a pain in the , if you'd excuse me please, I still have some research to do."

Raven was about to hang up when Rocco's voice stopped her. "Wait a sec! Do you want me to inform your new friends about your meeting with Barton?"

It was an absurd question- if she had wanted Tony and Loki to know about her plan she would have told them. But since she knew they wouldn't approve to it, she had no intention to fill them in.

She had been in more dire situations than meeting with an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D in a civilized place, and she had handled them all pretty well; she didn't need any superheroes or demigods to hold her hand.

"Tell Al what I'm up to," Raven decided in the end, mainly because Rocco tended to become quite flustered and he was already as his slightly worried undertone indicated. "If I don't contact you thirty minutes after meeting Barton, call the Iron Man to break me out of S.H.I.E.L.D's custody."

Raven arrived at the _Russian Tea Palace _minutes before Agent Barton did. Seven years at Hogwarts, being one of the unpopular students, had given her a knack for becoming almost invisible without having to wear an Invisibility Cloak; she could just make people not notice her, and that came in quite handy now.

She watched him enter the restaurant, looking out for the red head of Natasha Romanov. When he didn't spot her, he glanced at his watch before he allowed the waitress to lead him to a table at the far end of the room.

The good thing about having arranged a _date_ for Agent Barton was the fact that he wouldn't bring his bow to what was supposed to be nice dinner with the woman he fancied. That didn't mean, though, he would be totally unarmed. Therefore, Raven had to take him by surprise.

He ordered a drink. Although the place was called the _Russian __**Tea**__ Palace_, they hardly served any tea here; most of the clients drank vodka and so did Barton.

She waited until he had downed his glass, then she cast a gentle _Petrificus_ spell on him that slowed his movements but didn't render him totally immobile.

"Hello, Agent Barton." Faking a smile, she slipped into the empty chair opposite of him, where he would have preferred Natasha Romanov to sit.

To say he was surprised at the sight of her was probably the understatement of the year; his jaw dropped while his eyes were sparkling with unconcealed fury.

"You!" He hissed as he tried to jump up and throttle the witch, but he soon realized that it seemed to take his ages to even find the floor under his feet, so he gave up that attempt and remained seated. A hint of fear crept into his voice when he asked. "What have you done to Agent Romanov?"

"Nothing. Do you think I should?" Raven replied calmly. It was plain to see he would have loved to put an arrow through her eye-socket.

"If you harm a single hair-"

"Ooh. Lemme hazard a guess- you'll kill me? You're such a predictable man, Clint, but don't worry; I have absolutely no intention of harming Miss Romanov."

"What do you want, then?" He asked bluntly.

"Information, Agent Barton. The everlasting currency of our profession. Of course, I could rape your mind to get it- but since that's a nasty thing to do, I prefer to rely on your cooperation."

"Cooperation? You must be kidding! I will definitely** not **cooperate with the one who freed the dangerous war criminal, Loki-"

"Yeah, I understand your resentment, the trauma you experienced and probably even your payback... although it sickens me. But this is not about Loki." She didn't tell Barton that Loki was just as much a victim of the Chitauri as he was because it didn't matter. They had to find Selvig and take the sceptre from him, and he was probably hiding at that secret lair Barton had set up for Loki while he was still his loyal follower.

"You think you understand? No, you know nothing!" Barton barked.

Immediately, Raven cast a _Muffliato_ spell to dim their conversation, so that the other clients of the restaurant would hear none of it.

"You have no idea what it was like to have _HIS_ voice in your head, to be unmade and replaced by something else- damn, he actually made me _care_ for him!"

"Oh, now that's truly... _horrible._" Raven said in a mocking tone.

"I killed for him!"

"Of course, you never killed for S.H.I.E.L.D-"

"That's not the point." Barton cut her off.

"You're right. It's not." She raised her hands in an apologetic gesture, her wand hidden in her sleeve. "I'm glad we agree. And since that's settled now, we can finally focus on the reason for our meeting- would you like another vodka?" Before Barton could say no, she had already signalled the waiter to bring another round of drinks.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" He asked suspiciously.

"No. I'm not in the mood for a drinking competition. All I want to know from you is where you went after Project Pegasus collapsed on you."

Barton was surprised but tried to hide it. He shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Clint, Clint, you're lying to me." Raven figured him out at once; she wasn't just quite good at reading micro expressions, she was also a skilled Legilimens, and the combination of both made it nearly impossible for anyone to feed her with lies. Besides, she could almost _see_ the place in Barton's eyes- booted feet on bare concrete floors, long corridors with tiled walls, pillars and arches; it looked like an old, deserted building except for the perfectly equipped laboratory. It was all there in his mind.

"Perhaps. But that's the only answer you will get from me. I won't aid Loki in building another portal with the Tesseract."

"What?" It took her a moment to grasp what was troubling him. "Oh..." _Of course he doesn't know it yet_. "Um... the Tesseract is back in Asgard with Thor, just like Fury promised to let him take it back there."

Barton stared at her in bewilderment. He reached for his glass and downed the vodka without taking his eyes off her.

"I can assure you I'm not bent on world domination and neither is Loki, nor was he ever really. You know that, don't you?"

He didn't reply. Agent Barton seemed to be even more confused now as he was mulling over her words, and he refilled his glass from the bottle the waiter had left at their table at Raven's behest. Fractions of memories were flitting through his mind, feeding his uncertainty because he wasn't sure they were all his own.

"Tell me the address of your lair, please." Raven said in a soft, enticing tone, using his state of confusion to lure him into telling her what she wanted to know without giving away any further information. She had said too much already; she wouldn't spill all her beans to an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. And since Barton was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, one of the biggest, most powerful intelligence organisation, he should be perfectly capable of filling in the gaps he was still missing. In the meantime, however, Raven didn't hesitate to use just a tiny bit of magic on him in order to shamelessly spur his cooperation and finally get the address she wanted.

Raven left the Russian Tea Palace as unobtrusively as she had arrived there. She called Rocco at the WIIA to tell him that all was well, before she Apparated home.

While waiting for the elevator to take her up to the 60th floor, she briefly wondered if it had been fair to play Barton the way she had done, considering all that Loki- and the Other- had put him through. On the other hand, she would never forgive him for what he'd done to Loki because torture was never excusable, even if she understood his motivation. So, in the end it was the end that matters. Barton has had his revenge and she hadn't raped his mind like she could have; she hadn't let her resentment against him take the upper hand. She had merely influenced his will to cooperate a tiny little bit.

Nothing to worry about. Barton wouldn't hunt her down for that. Instead, she had given him enough to think about before he would take action.

Her phone was ringing the very moment she left the elevator and bumped into her friends and neighbours, Regulus and Edie Black.

"Raven! I thought you were in Kathmandu with Sev!" Edie squealed.

"Um..." Her phone was still ringing. Raven glanced at the display; the number was unknown to her. Nevertheless, she mumbled an excuse and answered the call, mainly to avoid having to explain Edie why she hadn't visited or called her recently if it was obvious that she was _not_ in Kathmandu with her husband.

'_Hello, little witch_,' Loki purred into her ear.

"Oh... it's you." She flashed an apologetic look at the Blacks and told them it was a job-related call she had to answer.

'_Who are you lying to now?' _ Loki asked cheerfully.

The door of the elevator closed but the Blacks hadn't entered it; they were waiting for her to finish the call. Raven moved a few steps away from them so that they wouldn't overhear her conversation. Fortunately, they knew her well enough to not find her behaviour suspicious since they were aware of the fact that her job required the necessity of secrecy.

Ignoring Loki's question, she hissed into her phone. "Did you steal a phone or whose number is it you're calling from?"

He chuckled. '_It's mine; you may want to save it. Tony provided me with an old phone of his in order to ease my effort in blending in perfectly with Midgardian society_.'

"Great." Raven wasn't certain if that was Tony's wisest decision,.but at least the guys seemed to get on well and weren't trying to kill each other.

'_Yes, it's fun indeed. You mortals are really not as poorly advanced as I believed when I first heard that Thor fell in love with your world.'_

"I'm glad to hear that." Rolling her eyes, she glanced at the Blacks, who were still waiting for her. Raven flashed them a wry smile while Loki informed her that Tony had invited him to a bar. And indeed, she could hear the noises of a bar in the background; people were chatting and laughing, clinking glasses. She hoped Tony knew what he was doing. After all, S.H.I.E.L.D was still after Loki.

"Please don't have too much fun." She hung up and turned around to face her friends. "So good to see you! Sorry, for not calling or dropping by earlier to let you know that I couldn't accompany Sev to Kathmandu due to an assignment that kept me quite busy lately."

It wasn't even a lie. Housing an Asgardian prince who was also a wanted war criminal and responsible for the alien attack on New York City had kept her quite busy, indeed, but she really didn't want to explain her motivation for helping Loki now. Raven was tired. Although she loved her friends, she was not in the mood for explanations. All she wanted was to have a nice and quiet evening without Loki or anyone else to bother her.

Regulus seemed to get it at once for he stopped his wife from pestering Raven with questions she wouldn't- or couldn't- answer anyway. In the end, he took Edie's arm and urged her to step into the elevator with him.

"Good night." Raven watched the doors closing behind her friends and breathed a sigh of relief that was mingled with a tang of remorse for not having been honest with them. Ever since she'd met Loki for the first time she'd been lying or bending the truth to everyone but him.

As she opened the door to her apartment, she was feeling guilty because she wouldn't have that if not for Regulus, who had never given up his dream of living in a building towering over the city '_so it is filled with light and I can look at the sky from every window_.'

She still remembered his words, spoken in the gloominess of Grimmauld Place. Thirty years later, Regulus Black was a billionaire who had fulfilled his dream- he had built a tower with his name on it, and yet she still hadn't quite figured out how he'd made his fortune.

Of course, he was a Black. A name synonymous for wealth in wizarding Britain, but not in America. When they arrived in New York City years ago, Reg had tried himself as a monster truck rider... with little success. Then he had opened a nightclub, and that had been a success. He had sold it at its peek, had made some deals in the stock market, and although you never saw him actually working hard, he was almost as rich as Tony Stark now.

-ooOoo-

The problem with being a genius was that most people who matched Tony intellectually were nerds, the kind of guys that approached and pestered him with boring theories. You wouldn't want to meet any of them on a night out when you're trying to have fun. Alas, the people you could have fun with were often slightly dim-witted and only bearable after a few drinks.

That's why Tony didn't have many friends, even if a lot of people claimed to be his friend... mostly if they wanted something from him. Well, that was the curse of being a billionaire.

There was a time when he had thought he'd found a kindred spirit in Banner, but Bruce was too preoccupied with the 'Other Guy'.

And now Tony was having a surprisingly good time with the one person he'd least expected- simply because less than a fortnight ago they had been fighting against each other. But when Loki was not in a mad scramble for power and world domination, when he was not striving for a throne or leading an alien invasion against New York, when he was not throwing him out of the window- well, then Loki was quite an agreeable fellow to hang around with.

It seemed to be a bit like that Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde thing, like Banner and the Hulk, another form of anger-management issues. And Thor was probably the trigger, the catalyst... of course, psychology was not Tony's first area of expertise, but after having experienced the two not brothers interact it was only fair to hazard that guess.

Although Tony had come to New York with the intention to avoid any public appearance, he had offered to take Loki out for dinner. Well, to be honest, he had thought about simply calling a pizza instead of actually going out. But then he had changed his mind.

On their car ride through the city, there was a moment when Tony felt quite uncomfortable all of a sudden and even Loki fell quiet as they drove past the signs of devastation caused by the alien attack.

Tony wished he hadn't left his workshop; he was content if he could tinker there for hours or days on end. He didn't have to go out. He was neither a party animal nor a playboy anymore since he was in a stable relationship with Pepper now. Okay, perhaps it was only _stable-ish,_ because for it to be more than that he should actually spend some time with her... instead of hiding in his tower, far away from her. He kept telling himself she was safer without him while fighting the urge to protect her from all the horrors, the wormholes and aliens... without even realizing what poor excuses he came up with in order to hide his anxiety attacks from her.

-ooOoo-

_Oh no!_ Raven thought when she emerged from the warm, scented waters of her bathtub to find a Facebook friend request from a certain Loki Noonesson on her phone. She accepted it, wondering what he was up to now but she doubted he was attempting to gain world domination via Facebook or Twitter. Perhaps, he was just trying to get caught by S.H.I.E.L.D, who had all the technical equipment needed to locatehim and they were still after him- on the other hand, Loki had been given that phone by Tony Mr Technogod Stark, so it was probably as safe as possible.

Tony was no fool- or was he? After all, he was a guy in the company of another guy and they were on a night out to have some fun.

She typed a message to Tony, asking if he knew what he was doing when he presented Loki with a smartphone.

_Yep,_ came his short reply.

Alright, so be it. Raven washed her hands of their idiocy and decided to not give a damn about the guys anymore. At least not for tonight. She would not let them spoil her quiet evening off, because whatever was to come or whatever might get themselves into, she was certain they could handle it all perfectly well without her.

-ooOoo-

"Tony! Oh hey, Tony Stark! Wow! Is that really you?"

They were having a drink at the rooftop bar of the hotel where they'd had dinner, when that woman approached him with a big smile on her face. Damn! Tony would have preferred to stay incognito.

He was about to reply that he was just a life holographic decoy of Tony Stark when Loki elbowed him and made him look up. Alright, she was quite a looker- a gorgeous body dressed in a blue satin dress. Well, perhaps the dress was a bit too short and too tight to be classy, but she had a pretty face and an impressive mane of red hair. Of course, that red was just as fake as the amount of hair... or her bust size. But yeah, she was definitely quite a sight.

"Remember me? I've been to your birthday party!"

_Which one?_ Tony had celebrated many. But soon it dawned upon him that she must mean that very specific one he was trying hard to forget.

"Fancy seeing you here in New York."

"Yeah, Roxy... um, Rita? No? Rosy?"

"Ruby."

"Right."

"Just look at her, Tony," Loki interjected in a purring tone, "this lovely lady is decidedly a ruby."

Finally, Ruby was looking at him. She smiled. "Oh, hello. Don't you want to introduce me to your charming young friend, Tony?"

Um... _charming __**young**__ friend? _Wait- did that mean she considered him old? Which was weird given that he was in the company of an Asgardian who was probably a thousand something years his senior. Had he lost his touch as a playboy? And no, it didn't matter now that he was in a stable relationship with Pepper when the prettiest girl in the bar didn't give him a second glance after she had spotted Loki.

"Hello, beautiful Ruby, I'm Loki." The Asgardian introduced himself, offering her his most winning smile, and she seemed to be smitten instantly.

"Loki. That's an unusual name."

"Well, I'm an unusual man, dear Ruby. Would you like to join us for a drink?"

She sat down next to him and almost immediately he snaked an arm around her shoulder while asking for her favourite choice of drink. Of course, she said champagne. All the girls loved champagne. And so Loki left it to Tony to order a bottle.

"So, what are you doing in New York, Loki?" Ruby asked, sipping her champagne without taking her eyes off Loki, who couldn't take his eyes off Ruby either. It was plain to see that he admired the way her long red curls caressed her breasts like tiny little red snakes, although it was less the hair he actually admired.

"I came to this wonderful city with the aim to obtain world domination." Loki answered seriously.

"I like funny men." Ruby was giggling, but Tony groaned and cursed under his breath.

Damn! Why did the The God of Lies have to be honest just now?

"Don't listen to him. Don't take him serious. He jesting."

"Ooh, am I?" Loki replied in a mocking tone

"Yeah. Typical rock star attitude, if you ask me..."

"Oh, wow! You're a musician?" Ruby was looking at Loki with sparkling eyes.

"Um..." Now, Loki was at a temporary loss and he cast a quick glance at Tony, who didn't hesitate to come to his rescue.

"Yep, he is- and damn, now the secret is out; I'm gonna manage him."

"I didn't know Stark Industries is in the music business."

"I didn't know that either," Tony mumbled almost unintelligibly, but fortunately, Ruby didn't pay much attention to him because she was too focussed on Loki.

"That's so cool! What kind of music do you play?"

"I'd say it's quite alternative with some emo influence." Tony replied in Loki's stead, and the Asgardian flashed him a grateful look since he didn't know much about Midgard's music scene. He would ask the witch about it later, remembering she had quite a large collection of audio media.

"I like that. And what's the name of your band?"

"Asgard Rocks."

"Wow." Ruby was impressed. Of course, she had heard the stories of Thor, the superhero from Asgard, and how he had helped to save the world in general and New York City in particular- it was all over the news ever since the alien attack- and she thought it cool to have a band with a name related to that event. Starry-eyed, she gazed at Loki, still mesmerized by his handsome features and his slender fingers that were toying with her hair in such a delicate way it made her skin tingle. "You have a lovely voice, so I guess you must be the singer. On the other hand, I also adore your hands... ooh, you have so wonderful hands... do you play any instrument as well?"

Again, it was Tony who replied, lying smoothly about Loki's skills as lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of a band that didn't even exist. Well, it didn't matter anyway. It was just as unimportant as Ruby telling Loki about her ambitions to become an actress/ singer/ dancer or that she was in new York for an audition, because that's what all the girls claimed when in fact they were just looking for a guy to finance their dreams- or at least their boob jobs.

But he didn't have to worry about Loki falling for that trap. His infatuation with Ruby was mainly of a physical, testosterone guided nature- he wanted to bed her, that's all. And Tony knew just how he could aid his new _friend_...

While Ruby and Loki were getting to know each other in a more intimate way- meaning, they were smooching seriously- he went to the reception of the hotel and returned a little later, slipping the key card to a hotel room into Loki's hand.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Raven woke with a feeling of unease. Something was amiss- it was hard to identify what it was because it came with no sound or any other physical symptom- it was just a feeling, like an inner alarm ringing. Then she realized that someone was tampering with the wards.

Almost instinctively, she reached for her wand and sat up, checking her surroundings. Raven noticed she must have fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room and that the terrace door was still standing open a crack.

Fortunately, Sev wasn't there to chide her for being a reckless fool- on the other hand, if Sev had been here she wouldn't have fallen asleep on the sofa anyway; she would have joined him in their bedroom, which was even more thoroughly warded than the rest of their apartment. Raven had actually teased him once for being so overly protective, calling it the Fort Knox of wizarding bedchambers...

But yeah, he'd be right to chide her because she often tended to be a tad too careless, and yes, she should have closed that door before falling asleep. Especially after having met Barton last night.

She glanced at the open terrace door. It was still dark outside but the reddish glow at the eastern horizon told her that a new day was dawning, so she roughly knew how late it was. Then she saw the shadow of a man approaching the door; he seemed to have appeared from out of thin air.

Raven mumbled an incantation and a bubble of light came off the tip of her wand. She enlarged the bubble and sent it flying towards the intruder; it exploded above his head in a myriad of sparks. Now, she could see his face.

"Oh, it's you."

"Hello, and good morning to you, too, little witch." Loki smirked as he watched the sparks disappear. "An _impressive_ spell- not really meant to scare anyone off, right?"

She didn't reply.

"I hope you didn't stay up and wait for me all night?"

"Definitely not."_ But now that he's mentioning it, where has he been all night? _"I enjoyed a quiet evening without you."

"Ah!" His eyes perused the table in front of her. There was a stack of files and a tablet next to an empty pizza box, a full ashtray and an empty bottle of wine. "Yes, I can see you had a fun night."

"Indeed!" It came out sharper than intended, as if she had to defend herself because of the slightly mocking undertone in his voice and the fact that his eyes were still on that lonely glass on the table. Well, sometimes she simply treasured these rare moments of solitude- and, all in all, it _had_ been a pleasant evening. She had taken a long, hot bath which had only been bothered by his idiotic Facebook friend request, then she had used his absence for intensive beauty care, before she had ordered a pizza and made herself comfortable on the sofa. She had listened to her favourite music while reading some files and background information Rocco had sent her.

"So, how about you? Did you enjoy your night out with Tony?"

"It was fun." Loki stated, smiling smugly at her. "And it was even more fun after Tony went home."

"He left you alone?" _All alone in New York City with a smartphone and a head full of crazy ideas? What have you done, Tony? _

"I didn't say I was all on my own."

Raven arched an expectant brow at him, and she didn't have to press him to carry on.

"I met a marvellous woman."

"Oh... okay." It came as quite a surprise, but she was okay with that. Basically. "So, um... you fell in love?"

Where did that absolutely unreasonable pang of jealousy come from? After all, she was happily in love with her husband, and nothing would ever change that.

"No, I just bedded her."

"How... _nice._ I'm glad you're beginning to like us mortals, but please spare me the details."

"Well, it wasn't my intention to give anything away." Loki was chuckling as he sat down next to her on the sofa. "You know, there's just one thing that really amazes me about Midgardian women; according to Ruby, it's quite common to get a 'boob job' when nature is less than generous to you, but-" he glanced at Raven, casually dressed in an oversized shirt, and shrugged, "apparently it's not _that_ common."

"Idiot! My husband likes me very much the way I am, thank you very much!" She snapped and hurled a pillow at Loki, who caught it and grinned.

"Let us drop the subject if you're feeling uncomfortable about it."

"_Uncomfortable_ is probably not the right word to express that the size of my tits is absolutely none of your damn business."

"No offence meant!" Totally ignoring her latent displeasure, Loki rested his head against her shoulder and flung his long legs over the armrest of the sofa, making himself comfortable. "Now, tell me something about the music of this realm."

"Music? Really?" Raven arched a quizzical brow at him while still pondering whether she should permit him the proximity he had bestowed upon her. It would be easier to decide if she cared less about him

"Yes. Tony told Ruby I'm the hottest new rock star to come, so naturally I want to know all about it."

"Why don't you google it or watch MTV, now that Tony provided you with a smartphone?" _And a groupie; he should google that, too, _Raven mused as she abruptly got to her feet, which resulted in Loki's head dropping from her shoulder and falling on the sofa.

"Ouch! What was that for?" He was laughing.

"Ever considered you're a git?" Shaking her head she made her way to the kitchen, and because she wasn't in the mood to explain anything about music, she turned on the playlist she had listened to last night while operating the coffee machine.

"I could use one, too!" Loki informed her without looking up from his phone. Obviously, he had learned about Google already and was looking for further information.

"Just out of curiosity- what kind of music did Tony claim his hot new rock star will be playing to the masses of his future followers?" Raven asked in a slightly sarcastic tone as she placed a mug of coffee in front of him.

"Um, if I recall correctly, he said_ it's quite alternative with some emo influence_."

Raven chuckled at that, hoping that Loki wouldn't throw his new best buddy out of the window when he found out what the emo part meant. Tony had figured him out quite well. For someone who mocked others because of their sentiments, Loki was a very emotional person.

Fortunately, he was actually listening to the music instead of looking up the meaning of _emo_ on Google.

"Hm, no harps, no lyres... the music of this realm is so different to what we know it Asgard, so much… rougher. But I like it. Of course, the Asgardians would be scandalized if I played that at court, but that's the fun of it, eh?"

She could imagine him very well crashing one of daddy Odin's formal receptions at court, carrying a ghetto blaster on his shoulder... there was probably no royal court in this word or another that would be amused. It was in the nature of royals to be scandalized as well as it was in Loki's nature to cause chaos and enjoy the reaction. At least the mischief sparkling in his eyes was of a more playful kind now; he simply wanted to have some fun without the aim to rule the world, and he even appeared to a lot more carefree after his night out with Tony Stark, as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Although she liked to see him so much more relaxed, it also seemed that he had become a tad too reckless because he was resting his head on her shoulder again, almost snuggling up to her.

Damn! Raven wasn't certain if she really disliked it, and that wasn't good. After all, she was a married witch and she loved her husband, and Loki was... a wanted war criminal. Dangerous, charming (well, sometimes) and quite handsome. Just the kind of guy mothers advised their daughters against for a reason, and she liked him too much already because otherwise, she would have delivered him back to S.H.I. the moment he had hurled her across the terrace.

On the other hand, he needed her help. Therefore, she reminded herself that he was just an assignment and she had to act in a professional way; she had to focus on things that were more important...

"By the way, did I tell you that I know the whereabouts of your former lair, now?"

"Really?" Loki didn't sound very surprised and even less impressed. Sipping his coffee, he seemed to enjoy the cosy atmosphere. "So, did Jarvis finally came up with a result of his search?"

"Nope. I met Barton last night, and-"

Loki almost spluttered his coffee all over the sofa as he sat up with a start and turned around to stare at her. "What?"

"I said, I met Barton last night and he told me all-"

"Yes! Yes, I got what you said! Damn! Are you nuts?"

"Although I guess there are some people who might answer that in the affirmative, I beg to differ-"

"Foolish witch!" He fumed, ignoring her words. "Didn't I tell you to give up that stupid idea? Do you ever listen to anything anybody says?"

"You did. And if it's reasonable, I do. If I recall correctly, you reminded me of the danger. Well, I weighed it and considered it a calculated risk, and in the end, I was right. I succeeded."

Loki glared at her as if he wanted to throttle her since Barton had obviously failed to do so.

"Hey, no risk, no fun." Raven said as she nudged him and smiled cheerfully, although she did notice his mood swing. "I thought you would understand that. So why are you fretting now? If you aren't careful I might start to think you care about me."

"Pha! Silly sentiments!" He sneered. For a short moment of time, he had managed to forget about Barton, S.H.I.E.L.D... and the Chitauri; he had forgotten what he'd done, what he'd become, what he'd been through. She had reminded him of that again, even thought it had probably not been her intention. "All I care about is to get a good breakfast."

"Well, you know where the kitchen is, don't you?" Raven didn't bother to get up and prepare breakfast for him. Instead, she sipped her coffee and lit a cigarette, wondering how to cheer him up again without having to make any concession on her part. So she told him about her meeting with Barton. "He was quite cooperative. I didn't even have to hex him- well, perhaps just a tiny little bit. Mind, I still don't like him. I guess he doesn't like me very much, either. But he's not stupid. Guess you noticed that when you made him your personal flying monkey. And although I left him pretty clueless about the reason why I want the information, he has seen Selvig with your sceptre in the hands; he should be perfectly capable of filling in the gaps. He's an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, after all. Therefore, it is likely that S.H.I.E.L.D- or just Barton himself- will deal with Selvig, so we don't have to bother about him. We can simply carry on like we planned."

"Hm..." Loki mused, "so you're saying it's good I didn't kill Barton when I had the chance to do so? It's a nice sentiment, little witch. Well, perhaps I just got what I deserved-"

"No, Loki," she said softly as she placed a hand on his arm. It was meant to be a reassuring gesture but she realized that she was the one seeking proximity now. "Don't say that. There is absolutely no excuse for torture, no matter how great a git you are. But taking revenge by killing him is not a good solution, either- especially not, if he proves to be useful in the end. Besides, it's bad karma and you've had too much of that already."

-ooOoo-

Two days later, after what seemed to be endless hours of Tony and Loki tinkering together, they informed Raven that the Chitauri chariot was finally overhauled and ready to give it a try.

In the meantime, she hadn't been idle, either. She had tracked down and monitored Selvig, who had actually taken refuge in Loki's secret lair outside of New York. But since he wasn't running around, recruiting new members for his team with the help of that alien glow-stick, she had decided to watch him from a safe distance instead of trying to interfere. Although there were people who would attest her being reckless, Raven was very well aware of the dangers of the sceptre and therefore preferred to stay away from it, while keeping a keen eye on the oh-so-unobtrusive black car that was parked nearby- obviously a S.H.I.E.L.D vehicle.

It was good to know that they- _Barton?_\- were monitoring Selvig, too, without messing things up.

Tony gave her a lengthy explanation of what they had done and why, but since Raven didn't get anything of his technobabble anyway, she simply mounted that alien jet-ski thing and started it.

Immediately, it went up in the air.

"Wait!" Loki called out. "Do you even know how to fly it?"

"It can't be that hard." Unlike a broomstick it did have a handlebar and that reminded her of her Harley, and she knew how to ride that. But when she pressed a button, things went wild. The chariot rocketed up, and she had to duck her head in order to not bump into the ceiling, then she found the accelerator and shot out of the window, crashing it in the process..

Tony and Loki were cursing loudly, running after her in order to stop her... somehow.

But Raven was already too far away. There was a moment when she was actually clutching onto the handlebar with her feet dangling dangerously in the air, and she even thought she was about to fall some seventy-something floors down to the hard concrete of New York's streets, but then she gained control over the chariot and began to enjoy the flight. She zigzagged the nightly skies for the fun of it, before she made an U-turn and came flying back to Stark tower, landing safely in Tony's workshop.

"Yeehaw! That was fun!"

"Yeah, and you owe me a window." Tony remarked dryly, while Loki was just staring at her and it was hard to fathom what he was thinking.

"Oops!" Raven glanced at the broken window and, mumbling an apology, she aimed her wand at it. Immediately, the shards of the broken glass began to assemble in midair, looking for their counterparts, and soon the windowpane was repaired.

"Whoa!" Tony was impressed, but not too much. "You fixed it! Damn! Out of curiosity- does that mean you could have fixed the alien jet ski just as easily?"

"Nope. The _Reparo_ Charm is only suitable for simple things, like glass or bricks." Raven explained. "It doesn't work with technical stuff- which proves the fact that magic and physics don't get along well with each other."

"And you just proved that you're totally incapable of flying this ship all the way to Asgard." Loki cut in.

She arched a brow at him. "Did I not impress you with my flying skills?"

Loki just glanced at her and shook his head.

"Perhaps a witch should stick to her broomsticks," Tony interjected, not being supportive at all.

"Oh, believe me, I'm really not good with broomsticks." Raven heaved a sigh. And she didn't even have a flying motorcycle like Sirius Black. Actually, when it came to flying she usually preferred to board a plane.

"What do you know about the branches of Yggdrasil, little witch? About space travel? About the rifts between the Nine Realms and secret passages?"

"Well, um..." She had to admit that Loki was right, and that was the flaw in her plan. "You promised to show me the way."

"There is no direct passage-way between Asgard and Midgard, no navigation system to show you the way."

"Hey, Frosty, are you saying we wasted our time on that Chitauri jet-ski if it can't get you to Asgard anyway? Unless, of course, you wanted to spend some time with me- which is understandable, but I have to remind you I'm in a relationship with Pepper."

"You're not as irresistible as you consider yourself, Tin Can Man, and even worse, you seem to be incapable of listening closely. I said there is no _direct_ way."

Tony and Loki together were fun if you got past the point of finding them insufferable.

"So, there is a way." Raven concluded, rolling her eyes because she hadn't quite reached that point yet. There was so much at stake and they were cheerfully bitching at each other.

"Come on, little witch, you cannot honestly believe I yearned to waste my time with a human tin can- of course there is a way, known to only a few."

"But you know it?"

"I know it," Loki replied with a smug smile on his face.

"Could you just stop bragging for a moment and fill us in?" Tony asked in bored tone, checking his fingernails

"Have you ignorant mortals forgotten all about the Frost Giants' attack on Midgard in 965, when they tried to conquer Earth and plunge it into a new ice age?"

"Um, I know a lot about Giant Wars throughout the ages- I was always good at history- but our textbooks failed to mention that one."

"I watched all Ice Age movies but it was more about mammoths, sabre-toothed cats and a mad squirrel who is obsessed with collecting acorns- oh, and Sid, of course."

"Thanks, Tony, but since we're not talking about Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols now, I would prefer to hear what Loki has to say." Still mad about the flaw in her plan, Raven glanced expectantly at Loki. Damn! Asgard had to be warned of the danger but she didn't want Loki to risk his life by taking her there (she doubted that daddy Odin was of the forgiving kind) and yet, in the end, it would inevitably result in just that. Loki had already gone too far out on a limb to back down now, because most definitely he would not let anyone call him a coward.

"So you really don't know anything about the battle at Tønsberg, Norway, when the Asgardians assembled their army and prepared for battle in order to protect you Midgardians?" Loki wondered aloud.

"What's the point of your history lesson anyway, mate?"

"I guess his point is- how did the Jotuns get to Midgard?" Raven suggested.

"Clever little witch." Loki smirked at her. "What an astute observation- I give you that. And yes, you're right. There is actually a secret passage-way from Jotunheim to Midgard that the Jotuns used way back then, and there is also a secret passage from Jotunheim to Asgard only a very few people know about- well, perhaps I'm the only one."

"Yeah, you're really a genius, Frosty." Tony remarked in a slightly sarcastic tone, whereas Raven reminded Loki of the risk he was taking if he really meant to guide her way and accompany her to Asgard.

That moment, his phone was ringing. Loki glanced at the display and rolled his eyes as he blocked the caller. Apparently, dear Ruby was not that marvellous anymore.

"Well then, little witch, are you ready to leave this world behind and travel to worlds unknown to you?"

"What? Now?" All of a sudden it was all too much, too fast, too soon. She still had to pack her bag and- most importantly- had to talk to Sev and inform him of her plan. He wouldn't like it. She wasn't certain if she liked it either, but there was no other way. They had to come to terms with it, all of them.

There were still so many questions. Their way would lead via Jotunheim- was there even enough left of it after Loki had tried to destroy it? What if the passage-way to Asgard was gone? Would they end up in a land of ice and snow without her ever seeing Sev again?

Raven was torn between the thrill of an adventure- probably _the_ adventure of her life- and the more sensible wish to simply continue her happy life with Sev. But it was already too late for that. She had made her decision the day she had taken Tony and Loki to WIIA's headquarters to collect the Chitauri chariot... or even long before that when she had freed Loki from the clutches of S.H.I.E.L.D. Perhaps it was her fate.

Loki took her hesitation for a change of heart.

"Ah, now you shrink from your own courage; you're scared-"

"I'm not scared," she cut him off, "I'm just aware of the risks; so don't mistake my reservation about jumping headlong into danger for cowardice."

"You're not a coward, but you're a fool to think you can trust me, little witch."

"Oh, Loki," Raven sighed as she reached out to teasingly pat his cheek, "so much negativity. Why? I know you would never let me down."

"Foolish witch..." he whispered almost inaudible, grabbing her wrist so he could lean into her touch for a brief moment, and all the while his eyes were locked with hers.

A shiver was running down Raven's spine; it wasn't unpleasant. _Damn_! Of all the dangers she might encounter during her trip to Asgard, this one was not on her list.

"Whoa! No sexual activities in my workshop, please."

At Tony's words, Loki let go of Raven's wrist and immediately, she took two steps backward, running nervous fingers through her hair. But soon, she regained her composure and decided, "Okay, we won't be leaving before tomorrow. I will go to call my husband now, so Loki, don't bother to follow me for the next one or two hours."

Then she Disapparated from Tony's workshop straight to her apartment.

Loki was grinning ever so slightly.

"Uh-oh, Frosty, you really do like her, eh?"

"Bah! Sentiments!" Loki's phone was ringing again, and again he blocker the caller, admitting with a sigh, "At least she's not as clingy as dear Ruby, no matter how much I admire her boob-job thing."

"Yeah," Tony nodded sympathetically, "sometimes, the size doesn't matter."

"Of course, you'd know all about that."

Raven was pacing her living room, phone in her hand, pondering just what to say to Severus. _'Hello darling, I'll be going on a trip to Asgard tomorrow, so don't expect me to be home when you return from Kathmandu,_' was probably not a good opener. Neither was, '_In case I get lost in space, I will never stop loving you._'

Damn, she wanted Sev to be here with her now, wanted him to hold her in his arms, giving her certainty and reassurance. Not a coward? Ha, then why was it so damned hard to make a fucking phone call?

Of course he wouldn't like her plan, and that was understandable. After all, she wasn't going on a trip to Europe or Asia or anywhere else on Earth- she was going to Asgard, to another world... somewhere in _**space**_. And she would be in the company of a wanted war criminal- wanted not only here in Midgard but also in Asgard and in Jotunheim.

Great.

She switched her phone from one hand to the other and, instead of calling Severus in Kathmandu, she dialled Al's number to inform her boss that they were leaving for Asgard the following day.

"Try to get a paycheck from Odin," the old Auror said dryly and laughed; it sounded like she was gargling barbed wire. Then she fell silent for a moment before asking, "How did your dear husband take it?"

"Um..."

"You haven't told him yet?"

"He won't like it," Raven replied hesitantly.

"Of course he won't. He wants his wife waiting for him at home when he returns from Kathmandu. Guys are like that, lass. They don't want to come home to a cold and empty bed, knowing the beloved wife is on an awesome adventure with a handsome and charming Asgardian scoundrel."

"Oh, so he managed to impress even you?" There was a slightly mocking edge in Raven's voice now, hinting at Al's preference for women.

"I'm old but not blind. Now, call your husband instead of bothering me. Tell him it's an official assignment and impress him with the same arguments you used to convince me."

Yeah, that was indeed a reasonable approach. Sev would digest the news much better if she convinced him with facts in order to make him understand the reason of her decision.

"Have fun!" Al was laughing her barbed wire laughter again when Raven hung up, and it was still ringing in her ears a little later, reminding her that her boss was not really a fan of monogamous relationships. Despite her age and all of her scars, marks of battles long fought, she seemed to find and change partners on a monthly basis at least.

Well, that wasn't Raven's plan for life. She had fallen in love with Severus some thirty years ago and was still in love with him; she had never doubted or regretted her choice. They were lovers, and they were friends. Therefore, it couldn't possibly that damned hard to tell him of her planned travel to Asgard. After all, she didn't mean to betray him or anything like that- no matter what Al had tried to indicate with her ambiguous '_have fun_.'

She glanced at her watch and checked the schedule of the potioneers conference in Kathmandu. It was about midday there, and Severus was not meant to give a lecture before later in the afternoon, so it was likely he was neither busy nor distracted right now.

Raven opened a bottle of wine, poured herself a glass and lit a cigarette before she finally dialled her husband's number.

It was so good to hear his voice; it made her realize how much she missed him. If only he could be here with her now...

Pushing away that thought since it was pointless, it nevertheless took her a while to finally broach the topic she had called him for, listing up all the reasons why she had to travel to Asgard with Loki.

As expected, Severus wasn't happy about it. But- and that proved what a truly wonderful man he was- he heard her out. She could almost see him scowling as he was mulling over her sensible arguments.

"Is there really no other way?" He asked then.

"I fear not," Raven replied honestly, relieved that he hadn't called her a fool for trusting Loki yet- or, even worse, accused her of a Gryffindor-ish behaviour.

"What about these so-called superheroes, the Avengers? Why don't you let them handle the situation? Or S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"Really, Sev? That would be like me having left your fate in the hands of the Order of the Phoenix, only that S.H.I.E.L.D is worse than them. You know- no, you actually _saw_ what they did to Loki. Well, I don't trust them. Do you?"

"No, but-" Severus worried over her and she loved him for that. He heaved a sigh; it almost sounded like he was giving in the her reasoning, accepting the facts. "Damn, Raven, I love you and I have faith in your good judgement of people; I know you're a skilled Legilimens and that you can't be fooled or lied to that easily- but are you absolutely certain that Loki will not betray you?"

He really feared he might never see her again, that Loki would leave her in some forlorn corner of space (if space had corners) but Raven could only answer his question in the affirmative. She just knew that Loki wouldn't let her down, wouldn't take the first chance of getting rid of her; he would not betray her for another ill-fated attempt of gaining world domination. He was not like that. Even if he didn't regret the things he'd done, he nevertheless wanted to wash his hand of what he'd become. He didn't want to be his own worst enemy anymore.

"Aye," she said with conviction and yet hoping she would not regret her words because she had developed a tiny little crush on the insufferable Asgardian prince. Not enough to cloud her senses, though, and even less to make her forget her love for Sev.

"Alright," Severus said at long least, "I still don't like it, and I will miss you tremendously, but-"

Whatever he was about to say, it got lost in the entrance Loki made when he walked through the terrace doors into the living room.

"Still chatting with your beloved husband, little witch?"

Loki sat down next to her, smoothly crossing his legs.

Raven rolled her eyes at his smug smile.

"Is Loki with you now?" Severus asked.

"Yep. Would you like to threaten him? Shall I turn on the speakers or do you want me to send you his phone number?"

"_His_ phone number? Loki has a phone?" Severus sounded slightly bewildered. Probably he hadn't expected the Asgardian would feel so much at home in New York, and probably he even feared Loki would move in with them.

"Don't ask. Just... don't." Raven switched on the speaker and put her phone onto the table so that everyone could enjoy the conversation.

"Do you worry about your lovely wife, Sev?"

Severus didn't know what bugged him more- the cheerful, almost mocking tone, or the fact that Loki possessed the audacity to call him _Sev, _what he only allowed a very few people.

The wizard's voice was calm but it posed a threat. "Let me enunciate a fair warning, Asgardian. If you dare to harm a single hair of her head..."

"Ooh, you will kill me, yes? Well, I do not mean any harm to her, even though she's incredibly foolish to trust me, and I really admire your guts to threaten a god."

Loki was smirking, and in her mind's eye Raven could almost see her husband scowling, but he didn't give in to the provocation.

"May I have a word with my wife in private?"

Raven picked up her phone and turned off the speaker as she rose from the sofa to walk away from Loki, who was watching her.

"I liked him better when he was hurt and helpless and not quite as insufferably... _smug_," Severus grumbled into her ear.

"I know. I spent the past few days with him and he... um, recovered quite well. But he still needs my help. No one will believe him if he turns up in Asgard and claims that Jane is possessed by the same alien who is allegedly Loki's ally... especially not since he won't tell anyone- least of all Thor or Odin- what really happened to him in Chitauri space. I think it was a rather traumatic experience. And Sev, you know what it's like to be broken into submission."

Severus remained silent for a moment. He didn't want to remember, but even after all these years he still failed to push away the memory of Voldemort's face, pale and cruel with red eyes glowing, and thin lips that mercilessly whispered the same curse over and over again.

'_Crucio_.'

He remembered crying tears of blood.

"I wish it wasn't so...," lost in thoughts, he cleared his throat. "Raven, my love, if there really is no other way- and I trust in your evaluation of the situation- you have to go. Even if I don't like it at all."

Raven had to swallow hard to fight back the tears welling up in her eyes as she said farewell to her husband, hoping she was right to trust in Loki (or in his trust in her) and that she would be holding Severus in her arms again in a couple of days, and all would be well.

-ooOoo-

Raven didn't sleep well that night, but neither did Loki. When she walked down the staircase from her bedroom in the morning, he was already up and sitting on the sofa, while her stereo was playing some long forgotten songs (it was amazing how quickly he had learned about Midgard culture and how to use its technical devices).

It wasn't only the bluish glow of his phone's display that made his face look paler than it usually was. She could see the shadows of nightmares lingering in his eyes, even through he faked cheerfulness and arched a naughty brow at her attire.

Raven was dressed all in black, wearing tight jeans, heavy boots and a leather jacket. Her clothes were not as tight-fitting as those of Agent Romanov, nor did they look quite as sexy; they rather gave her a tough appearance. She was more like the punk rocker of agents.

They had coffee and a quick breakfast before they went to meet Tony, who had offered to take them to Norway in his private jet. It was an offer Raven had accepted gratefully, because flying a Chitauri chariot from New York to Tønsberg might have caused quite a stir... especially since the footage of the alien attack was still in the memory of people worldwide.

Loki was unusually quiet when they boarded the plane, and he remained in a sullen and brooding mood for most of the flight, giving only monosyllabic replies. He wasn't even in the mood to bicker with Tony.

Fortunately, Tony was wise enough to leave him alone, and so did Raven. Nevertheless, she kept watching him, feeling bad because she knew it was all her fault. Loki didn't want to return to Asgard for obvious reasons, and yet she had sort of pressed him into going back there... it was her plan that caused his distress, his anxiety. She understood very well why he wasn't in a splendid mood today. After all, their journey wouldn't lead only to Asgard; they also had to make a stopover in Jotunheim, and he had probably pissed the Jotuns off even more than the Asgardians since he had tried to destroy their realm.

On the other hand, Loki could have simply said no. He was far from being shy; he was eloquent and could have found a way to talk himself out. But he hadn't done that. Not yet? Did he just save his bag of tricks for later?

Raven trusted him nevertheless- probably it was just because trust was the one thing he needed most and no one else would give it to him.

Tony thought it fun to show an Ice Age movie on the big screen of his plane. It seemed to be his way of preparing them for the ice and snow of Jotunheim, but none of them was really following the ludicrous adventures of Sid and his friends, nor did anyone laugh.

The flight to Norway was a quiet one and every attempt of conversation died soon after it started. No one uttered more words than were absolutely necessary in respect of civility.

Some hours later- they had just left Greenland behind then and were crossing Iceland- Tony asked if they'd like to watch another movie. Although he understood why Raven and Loki were tense, he was slightly bored. Mainly, because he was not familiar with a situation in which he was no longer in demand and even less in control; others were doing his job now. _They_ were heading into a dangerous adventure in order to protect not only the world he knew, but also Asgard and all the Nine Realms in the branches of Yggdrasil, from an even more outlandish alien invasion, and he couldn't stop wondering, '_What the fuck_!'

Still pondering what had gone so fucking wrong that there were suddenly more worlds with even more threats than he'd ever imagined, Loki interrupted his thoughts with a sneer and told him that Jotunheim was not at all like that silly movie.

"Yeah, figured that." Tony pulled a face and glanced at Loki. "Well then, Frosty, amuse us!"

"There is nothing amusing about Jotunheim. It's a cold and dark rock world of ice, a frozen rock."

Raven finished texting Severus and looked up to see Loki shivering. Since the temperature in the plane was pleasant, it was probably the memory of Jotunheim that gave him the chills.

_I would have come full circle. Cast out onto a frozen rock once again._

She saw the memories clouding his eyes.

"Well, you could give us a more precise impression."

When she produced her wand, Tony stared at her in bewilderment but Loki seemed to know what she was about. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded and allowed her to take an imprint of his memories so she could project it on the screen in front of them.

It showed Jotunheim through Loki's eyes as he wandered the realm of ice and snow, which wasn't entirely dark but cast in a dim twilight of blueish colours.

Tony gasped upon realizing what he was just seeing since it clearly seemed to defy all the logical aspects of science. "That's not possible!"

"Isn't it? Magically, it is." Raven smirked at him as she watched the scenery change. They were still in that icy world, but now she was seeing signs of devastation, of ice thawing, as they approached what once must have been a great city or a fortress.

An unknown female voice was asking, '_Where are they?'_

_'Hiding. As cowards always do.' _Thor replied in his deep, sonorous voice.

Raven saw Loki frowning at that. Then the memory ended, and the screen went black. Loki got up from his seat and went to the bar at the back of the plane, pouring himself a drink.

Tony was about to follow him, but Raven stopped him. "Do me a favour and leave him alone for a moment."

"He seems to be a bit... um, _touchy._.. when it comes to Jotunheim and his origins, eh?"

"Touchy? Damned, how would you feel, Tony, if you had been lied to all of your life and you just came to realize why you've always been second best, knowing the reason is actually your origin, because you stem from a race of monsters parents tell their children about at night?"

"Well, I assume political correctness is highly regarded in Asgardian culture?"

"Definitely not."

Tony glanced at Loki downing his drink, and because he knew the Asgardian couldn't really get drunk, he actually felt sorry for his former foe as he had come to like him.

This moment, the pilot of Tony's private jet informed them that they were approaching for a landing on a small airfield near Tønsberg, and that the required limousine was already waiting for them.

-ooOoo-

They arrived in Tønsberg after sunset. The limousine's driver took them to the town's centre, where they enjoyed a late dinner in a harbour restaurant. Then, time had come to say goodbye.

Atop of a hill outside of Tønsberg's city centre, Raven opened her bag she had casually slung over her shoulder. It was a small, black thing adorned with a crowned skull but size didn't matter when an Extensions Charm was placed on it. Inside, the bag held many possessions that might be useful in Asgard.

She rummaged through her bag and dragged forth the miniaturized Chitauri chariot, then she restored it to its full size.

Tony was scratching his head; he still couldn't come up with any logical explanation for her magic. It contradicted all the rules of physics he knew.

Loki mounted the chariot and waited for Raven to take place behind him. He smirked at her. "You have to hold on tight to me."

Raven elbowed him. His mood must have changed to overly confident if he had the nerve to flirt with her now.

"Good luck, Frosty. " Tony clapped Loki's shoulder.

"I hope you 're not expecting a hug and a teary goodbye, Tin Can Man."

"Ugh!" Tony pulled a disgusted face.

The chariot rose into the air.

"Don't miss me! I'll be back!" Loki hit the accelerator. The Chitauri spacecraft gained in speed and altitude as it rocketed into the skies above Tønsberg. Flying a full circle over Tony's head, they saw him waving goodbye before he produced his tablet in order to mess with the Norwegian radar.

Nevertheless, it was still likely to create panic if they crossed the airspace of a city with an alien spacecraft, so Loki steered the chariot eastwards until they were over the waters of the Oslofjord, and after following that for a few minutes, he changed course again. Raven saw some scarcely inhabited islands below them, mostly made of rocks and stones.

The chariot descended to a much lower altitude as they reached the southernmost tip of the island of Tjøme, a point the Norwegians called Verdens Ende- World's End. And indeed, ahead of them were only the open waters of the Skagerrak. If they continued that way, they would be reaching Denmark soon.

But that was not Loki's intention. He was staring at something in the far distance.

Picking up speed again, the chariot shot over the water, almost touching its surface. Raven could feel the salty spray of the waves on her face, but she also noticed something else.

Ahead of them, the air was blurry.

The gateway between worlds, the rift in time and space was almost visible... and it didn't surprise her that it almost felt like Apparition when she was sucked into that hole in the skies, like being pressed into a tube...


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The blood was thundering in her ears. A multitude of blinding nebula was clouding her eyes. Her mouth went dry as the feeling of being sucked in a tube continued. She could feel the rush of adrenaline in her veins.

This was as scary as it was exciting, and it wasn't like Apparition at all. It was... _bigger._ It took longer. Apparition was like the little sister of time and space travel.

Loki chuckled in triumph when, finally, the wormhole spat them back out.

Feeling slightly dizzy, it took Raven a moment to open her eyes and glance around. First, she thought nothing had happened because they were still over water and it was still dark. But then she took a deep breath and wished she hadn't done so because her lungs seemed to constrict as if someone was choking her.

The air was so cold it made breathing painful. And damn, it was really fucking, freaking cold!

It was a cold that made your blood freeze and turn your body rigid, gnawing at your bones. It was a hostile cold.

Raven was breathing white fumes that seemed to turn into icicles as soon as they left her mouth, and she was shaking uncontrollably in the icy air. Her teeth were clattering so loudly that Loki turned around to stare at her.

"You alright?"

"C-c-c-c-old..." was all that Raven managed to stutter.

"Yes, this is Jotunheim. You knew what to expect. You saw my memories." Loki said in an impassive tone. "Cast a warming spell, stupid witch."

_Great idea_, she thought- as if that hadn't crossed her mind, yet. As if she hadn't tried to brandish her wand with stiff, icy fingers. But nothing had happened. A light lit up at the tip of her wand and froze there.

Her magic was frozen...

Loki noticed the dilemma and cursed. He hadn't expected that. She wasn't faking it, wasn't trying to fool him. Usually, he could almost see her magic sparkling within her like a flame, like a torch... now, there was merely an unsteady flicker.

"You're totally useless! Did you know this would happen?"

With an exasperated gesture, he wrapped her in an illusionary cape of white ermine. Almost immediately, her complexion took on a much healthier tone again, and he glanced at her for a moment longer to admire his handy work.

Parallel with the temperature, her temper flared up now. "Of course I didn't know that! Usually I'm not travelling space or hanging around in intergalactic coffee shops, testing my magic!" But then she cuddled up in her cape and whispered gratefully, "Thank you, Loki," before she was finally being able to take a closer look at her surroundings.

Loki had landed the chariot near the shore of a river, or a lake- she couldn't quite tell since she couldn't see far in the dim twilight of this place. It was neither day nor night; it wasn't completely dark, either.

After her eyes had adjusted to the twilight, she noticed that the river or lake- well, it was clearly not the Oslofjord anymore- was strangely not frozen despite the freezing temperature.

"So, this is Jotunheim..."

"A very astute observation, little witch, but I already confirmed that. And I fear the next intergalactic coffee shop is light years away."

She turned around to grin at him, and he couldn't help but grin in return. Crazy little pretty witch... the white fur was a nice contrast to her black hair, and Loki was amazed by the way her eyes were sparkling with curiosity and exploratory spirit as she was glancing at this hostile, vile world as if she was expecting it to hold more than just horrors. She was looking for wonders.

It was a weird world, with waters that weren't freezing and a flora comparable to the tundra regions of Earth, although it should be devoid of any vegetation. How could anything possibly grow in this land of ice and snow with its perma-frost soil, in a dim atmosphere that would never see a glimpse of sunlight?

The sky was of a dark grey, but there was a faint bluish light that reflected on the ice and snow around them. It reminded her of moonlight, of full moon nights in winter.

Raven could make out the silhouettes of coniferous trees and scrubs forming a forest, dark and gloomy, giving shelter to some strange, most likely even dangerous beasts. It vaguely resembled Hogwarts' Forbidden Forest, at least in atmosphere...

She saw a group of oversized squirrels scurrying through the scrubs and tugged at Loki's arm to make him look, but he didn't seem to be much impressed. Well, probably it was just the same as if a Muggle would try to show her a magical beast.

Then, something much bigger was breaking through the woods, making a lot of noise in the process. With bated breath, Raven stared at a huge mammalian-like creature racing past them. At first glance, it looked like a reindeer or a moose in body but it had long horns instead of antlers and she was certain it had blared sharp teeth at them.

"Whoa! Did you see that? Where those really fangs?"

"Yes," Loki replied monosyllabic. They were merely passing through this realm of ice and snow; they weren't here to explore or discuss the fauna of Jotunheim.

"I'm wondering if they're hunting them."

"What?" He frowned at her.

"The Jotuns. I'm wondering if they do hunt these big, horned and fanged moose-like beasties- for game, you know. I mean, they must live on something other than just ice and snow, and I assume they don't order their food on the internet."

"That would be like assuming the Jotuns are a civilized species." Loki sneered as he started the chariot again. They had wasted too much time already.

But Raven wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"Come on, you must know something more about the Jotuns and their culture," she pressed on.

He chose to remain silent for a while. Either he really didn't know more or he was simply tired of talking to her- it was hard for her to tell because with her magic frozen she couldn't use Legilimency on him and her skills in reading micro-expressions only worked if he faced her; she definitely couldn't read the back of a head.

At long last, he finally deigned to reply. "The Jotuns are monsters parents tell their children about at night. I never cared about what they prefer to eat, and you won't find a book about their... _culture..._ in the libraries of Asgard. The only culture they know is that of war. Pray, little witch, that we won't meet any of them on our way up into the mountains where they dwell in the ruins of ice."

The sound of his voice was tense; he was clearly feeling ill at ease in this world, and Raven thought it wiser to not pester him with any more questions about the Jotuns' way of living.

He didn't want to be here at all. Loki loathed everything about Jotunheim mainly because it reminded him of all the lies he had been fed his entire life. Instead of being a prince of Asgard, second in the line of succession to the throne, he was part of a race of monsters, and the knowledge that Odin had only taken him for a reason- namely, to cast him back out onto this frozen rock, adorned with the crown of puppet regime- was still a painful one.

But Odin's plans didn't matter anymore. Loki had thwarted them thoroughly, and ironically, he was an outcast in both realms now.

There were moments Raven wished she hadn't cajoled him into doing the right thing, making it almost impossible for him to not accompany her on her trip to Asgard. On the other hand, she would have failed tremendously if not for him. She would have frozen to death here in Jotunheim, bereft of her magic, with no chance of ever reaching Asgard...

Raven flashed him a grateful smile he never saw since he was staring ahead, and so she rubbed his arm in a gesture of confidence and support, wishing there'd be another way, one that didn't bear so many risks for him.

But there was none. They had to travel further into Jotunheim since the secret gateway to Asgard, the rift in time and space was somewhere up in the mountains where the Frost Giants lived. Therefore, the risk of being detected was great and yet inevitable.

Raven was just wondering what the Jotuns knew about Loki's involvement in the near destruction of their realm, or that he was responsible for the death of their king, Laufey, when Loki landed their spacecraft in a small valley, surrounded by high mountains covered in ice and snow. Apparently, he needed a moment to get oriented.

Glancing around, she saw signs of destruction that had become familiar on their journey through the mountains of Jotunheim. The deserted remains of villages and cities build of ice were prominent all over the place. In spite of the cold and the frost, glaciers were melting and the ice was thawing everywhere; with a loud cracking like thunder, a column of ice was bursting next to them.

And then, all of a sudden, they were no longer alone.

Loki cursed quietly as he noticed that a group of Jotuns had managed to sneak up on them.

They were really tall, towering above them all fierce and savage; their blue skin was thick and rough, marked with scars, scarcely covered in bits of cloth and pieces of armour. Red eyes were glowing like charcoal in the dim twilight of Jotunheim.

Loki grabbed Raven's arm in a protective gesture; he wanted her to take cover behind him. But the Jotuns didn't seem to be downright hostile. They didn't attack them. They were simply staring, cautious and silently, with their weapons in their hands. Surprised about the unexpected meeting that had disrupted their hunt, and they had obviously been hunting since they were carrying their kill- mostly fish and squirrels but also one of these horned moose beasts.

Raven couldn't deny she had been curious about meeting some Frost Giants, nevertheless she would have preferred to remain unnoticed. But since it was too late for that, and the Jotuns were still not attacking them, she decided to break the silence.

"Hi!" She said.

The Jotuns, however, didn't pay her any attention. Their eyes were focussed on Loki instead, who was in his Asgardian attire ever since they had arrived in Jotunheim.

After another moment of silence (in which Loki finally managed to drag Raven behind him, shielding her with his body), one of the Frost Giants took a step in his direction. Apparently, he was the leader of the hunting party.

"Asgardian," he hissed in a voice, dark and rumbling like an avalanche of ice, "what is your business here? Surely, you did not come with a peace offer from Odin."

"We're just passing through, actually." Raven piped up from behind Loki's back. He slapped at her to stop her from talking.

"Kill them!"

Reacting at lightning speed, Loki produced a dagger from out of nowhere. Admittedly, it looked quite ineffective in comparison to their weapons, long blades of ice, but he gave the impression he could handle them nevertheless. What he lacked in strength, he clearly compensated with speed.

Still, there was no point in senseless slaughter. Why did men always have to fight to solve a problem? Raven freed herself from Loki's grip, stepped forward again and cried, "Stop!"

She was very well aware of the fact that she was much too small and too weak to stop them from killing Loki, or him from killing them- or her- and yet she was standing there as if she still had the power of her magic. Of course, it was an absurd behaviour.

"Hold on." An amused voice spoke, and the Jotuns lowered their icy blades and nodded respectfully to one of theirs who appeared from behind them, just as blue-skinned and red-eyed as the rest of them.

And yet, this one was different,

It took Raven a moment to realize that it was a female Jotun, because at first glance you couldn't tell the difference. Only the pieces or armour covering her breasts distinguished her from the rest of them. Apart from that, her body was just as big-boned and muscular as the others.

But there was something about the way she stood, all tall and regal, that really attracted Raven's attention. She wasn't the monster Loki had told her about in his total ignorance of Frost Giants. She was ancient, noble and powerful.

"I am Farbauti, Queen of Jotunheim," she declared.

"Farbauti? Laufey's wife? Please tell me you're not my mother." Loki deadpanned without taking his eyes off her, his dagger still in his hands.

"Ah, the bastard son!" Farbauti sneered, recognizing him- or, at least, she had heard of him. "No, my children are all tall and strong. I never gave birth to a miserable midget."

"I thought so, because I clearly didn't inherit your... um, _beauty._"

"You may kill him now." The Jotun queen decided.

"After all I've done for you?"

Loki's bold statement made Farbauti rise a hand and stop her men once more. She glanced at him with narrowed eyes and Raven was hoping sincerely that the Bifrost had been destroyed long before the Jotuns had gotten word of his involvement in Laufey's death... or that he had incited the near destruction of their realm.

"Would you be queen now, if I hadn't goaded your dear husband to kill Odin?" He asked in a purring tone; then he cocked his head and smiled at her, knowing he had figured her out. Knowing just as well that the Jotuns were totally unaware of what had really happened in Asgard way back then. Therefore, he used his knowledge to bend the truth and come up with an incredible lie. "It was not my fault that Laufey failed. I tried to prevent the worst. I made my idiotic brother destroy Bifrost before its terrible power could rip your entire realm apart. You should be grateful."

Raven gaped at him. She opened her mouth and closed it again, then she decided to remain silent. There were times when a good lie was more effective than telling the truth, and this was definitely such a time.

"My late husband was a fool when it came to his hatred of Odin; he met his own fate." Farbauti admitted, still glancing at Loki, who was still smiling. "So, perhaps I should thank you..."

His smiled faded when the giantess continued.

"But I don't. You may pretend you care, but you don't. My people are suffering. They are hungry. They are dying. My realm is falling apart; it is melting- where is the Casket of Ancient Winters you promised to return to us?"

"Have a little patience, most noble Queen of Jotunheim." Loki bowed his head, mostly to hide the treacherous curl of his lips. He was scheming, lying smoothly once again. "Thor tossed me into an abyss the day I tried to save your realm; I got caught in the maelstrom of Bifrost energy and it spat me back out in a faraway galaxy. Against all odds, I found my way back to the Nine Realms... "

"A touching story," Farbauti remarked with a voice as cold as her realm. "Until the Casket of Ancient Winters is finally ours again, you are but words, Asgardian."

"What matters a year or two if, in the end, you will get back what has been stolen a millennia ago? We were just passing Jotunheim on our way to Asgard, in order to negotiate a deal with Odin."

It was a pretty bold declaration, and yet Loki managed to sound so convincing that even Raven almost believed in the sincerity of his words. He really was a very talented liar.

"You think he will give it to you?" The queen sneered; her red eyes were glowing even brighter now. "Why?"

Fortunately, Loki was wise enough to not claim it was his birthright. Instead he said in a casual tone, "Well, Odin saved me for a purpose-"

"Saved you?" Farbauti cut him off with an icy laughter. "Is that what the Allfather told you? That he _saved_ you?"

On the outside, he managed to appear all cool and controlled, not losing his composure, even if his insides were in a turmoil, choking on the indication of a truth that was probably worse than what he knew already. And he knew Odin hadn't saved him because he'd been such a lost and innocent child. He hadn't saved him out of heartfelt compassion but for a purpose..._ there's a purpose in everything your father does_... Odin had admitted it himself. He had saved Laufey's son- his _bastard_ son- with the intention to unite their kingdoms by installing a puppet regime with him, Loki, as marionette king on a throne of ice whilst Odin was pulling the strings in the background and still very much in control over the casket.

And possibly, Odin hadn't _saved_ him at all...

"The Allfather is a murderer, a liar and a thief. We were at war! Our cities, our fortresses were under heavy attack by Asgardian forces, and Laufey- no matter how much a disappointment he was as a husband- left you, his bastard son, at the most secure and sacred place he could think of. Our temple."

"What?" Loki gasped almost inaudible. He had heard, even understood her words, but while a part of him failed or refused to grasp them, something deep inside him was about to break. Too many lies... even for the God of Lies.

He felt like falling into the empty space of the void again, but Raven was by his side and she stopped his fall with her touch, with the warmth she radiated despite the chilling cold. Nudging him, she made him focus on her, trying to sooth him.

'_Calm down. Breathe_.' She said without using words.

But he didn't want to calm down. He didn't want to take a deep breath- he wanted to kill Farbauti for telling him the truth and he wanted to kill Odin for lying to him; he wanted to lash out so he wouldn't feel the pain anymore.

Farbauti's eyes were on him like glowing charcoal burning his skin.

"You did not know," she realized in an impassive tone.

No, he didn't know he had killed the father who had not abandoned him, just to impress the father who had lied to him his entire life, who had always favoured Thor, and gave a damn about him. Wasn't life ironic?

Still, he didn't feel any remorse, nor did he regret his deeds. Just because Laufey had fathered him didn't mean Loki had any feelings for him, and when he glanced around the desolate place that Jotunheim was, he was glad that Odin had stolen him so that he didn't have to grow up here but in a civilized, an advanced realm.

"We're done here." He decided, informing Raven in a hushed voice as he weaved shadows to ease their escape. He had heard enough.

Raven begged to differ. "You still don't know anything about your mother," she said softly.

The shadows dissolved into thin air.

_Please no more revelations... _Loki wasn't keen on staying in Jotunheim any longer than absolutely necessary, and despite the unexpected meeting with the Frost Giants, they could have long been on their way to Asgard- if not for the meddling little witch who had chosen to discuss his parentage with a group of monsters.

Her attitude annoyed him as much as he almost admired her for being so totally unbiased... and courageous. She was facing a group of Frost Giants, a race of monsters with a reputation that would have made any Asgardian maid run away in fear, but Raven stood there, smiling at the Jotun queen as though she could pacify the monsters.

Strangely, it seemed to work. The Frost Giants were still in a friendly mood.

"His mother wasn't Jotun. Laufey liked to enjoy himself." Farbauti said matter-of-factly while flashing a brief glance at Loki.

Although he was relieved to hear he was only half Jotun, half a monster, he didn't show anything but polite disinterest.

"Is she still alive?" Raven asked.

"No. She died in the war." A sly smile curled up Farbauti's upper lip. Clearly, she didn't mourn the death of his mother. But that didn't matter to Loki because her reaction showed him that she saw a rival in her- a rival she possibly would have liked to kill with her own hands- and that was perhaps the only good thing in this whole conversation about his parentage. His mother was most likely not a war bride; he was not a product of rape.

These thoughts kept him inattentive for a moment as he mulled things over, still feeling hurt and confused because now, he really felt misplaced and didn't know where he belonged. But it wasn't wise to be lost in thoughts when you were surrounded by monsters, so he quickly focussed his mind back to what was going on around him.

Raven and Farbauti were talking about the war now, and Loki realized that the other Frost Giants accompanying their queen had lowered their weapons as they followed the conversation between the two women, who seemed to get on quite well with each other.

It absolutely didn't fit in the picture he had been raised to believe- the Frost Giants of Jotunheim were monsters parents told their children about at night. They were supposed to kill mortals like the little witch without even blinking an eye... but they made no attempt to harm her.

"… the war is long over, more than a thousand years if I recall correctly. Why is your country still in ruins? Or is that the result of the latest attack?" Raven wondered aloud, glancing around with concern.

Farbauti arched a brow at her. "For a mortal, you seem to know a lot about our history."

"Oh no, I only know very little-"

"You know the lies that Odin tells!" One of the Jotuns called out; he was a kind of rude looking fellow who fitted well into the monster image, especially when he picked up his icicle-like weapon and threatened Loki with it, growling.

And yet, the brute didn't threaten Raven. His hatred seemed to be focussed solely on Asgardians.

"Byggvir!"

At Farbauti's command, the Jotun hesitantly lowed his weapon again. It was plain to see he would have loved to knock Loki into the permafrost, but he was wise enough to not disregard the order of his queen for the fun of it.

"Well, tell me your truth, then." Raven encouraged him.

Loki was rolling his eyes. Byggvir smiled triumphantly, but before he could rise to speak, Farbauti silenced him with a strict gesture.

"No. I do not wish to fuel the old hatred now. There is no point in it. We have to let go of it for the sake of our people." The Jotun queen turned her glowing red eyes at Raven, and there was a different fire burning in them now; it was warmer and full of concern. "There is only one thing you need to know, little mortal- we never mean to invade Midgard. We had no issues with your people. Things are not always as they appear at first glance."

If Loki was surprised, his face didn't reveal anything. But he was listening attentively to Farbauti's words as she continued.

"You want to know why Jotunheim is still so devastated, falling apart? It is not due to our lack of effort. We tried to build it up after the war, but the ice is thawing. It is melting a little, day by day by day, ever since Odin stole the very heart of our existence, the Casket of Ancient Winters. He stored it in his treasure chamber, knowing that the loss would kill us slowly, and yet he prides himself with the truce he has brought."

"So, um, without that casket it's sort of a global warming thing?" Raven mused.

Loki groaned inwardly; he knew that look on her face. It meant trouble.

"Stop it!" He grabbed her arm to pull her closer, hissing into her ear, "Damn! This is not about saving polar bears! This is Jotunheim!"

"I know!" Raven replied in a stubborn tone, staring him down. "Is it because the Jotuns aren't as fluffy and cute as baby polar bears that you deny them the right to live in a healthy environment? They are dying. Their world is falling apart. Odin started a war, stole their casket and kidnapped Laufey's heir-"

"The bastard was never an heir to the throne of Jotunheim!" Byggvir threw in, but both Raven and Loki just turned their heads to glare at him before they glared at each other again.

"That's not the point, now," she said.

She was wrong, Loki begged to differ. It _was_ a point; it mattered to him if he was an heir to the throne of Jotunheim. Mind, he didn't want it. He didn't want to be the ruler of ice and snow, but Odin had always made him believe it was his birthright to be king. Was that another lie? Was he really just a bastard who belonged nowhere, and who'd never ascend to any throne and even less to the one he deserved?

"Don't tell me you actually support Odin's policy?" Raven continued.

Damn the witch and her pathetic compassion for all kind of freaks and weirdos! She really had in abundance what he considered a flaw, and yet he was well aware of the fact that it was exactly that flaw of hers that had saved him and was still benefiting him.

In this madness, Loki only managed to keep his composure because Raven had taken the wind out of his sails and he was curious of what was to come next. She would probably bat her long, dark lashes at him and ask him to save Jotunheim by doing whatever was necessary in order to return that bloody casket to them. And he would smile at her... and cooperate. Not because he had no other choice but for the fun of opposing Odin.

"Loki..." She nudged him gently.

Of course, he could still put on an honest face while feeding her with lies, but if there was one thing he had learned about her, then it was that it's unwise to underestimate her. His lies would backfire at him like they always did, and he was fed up with shooting himself in the back again and again.

"Raven..." He flashed her a mischievous smile; he really enjoyed to watch her winding the Jotuns around her little finger as if they were pet monsters, and he was curious to see how things would unfold.

"I'm growing tired of this farce!" Byggvir was definitely not a good pet monster because he picked up his icicle weapon and challenged Loki to make just one wrong move so he could kill him. Loki, however, didn't feel inclined to do him that favour; he merely raised his hands in a pacifying gesture, which caused Byggvir to turn furious red eyes at Farbauti, apparently hoping for the queen's support. "Mother! Do not believe in his lies! He will not keep them! Asgardians are liars and thieves- father knew that! He ended the truce Odin forced upon us. Their latest assault proves we're beyond diplomacy with them!"

"No! It's never too late to return to diplomacy!" Raven chimed in, trying to mediate.

"Your father was a fool, blinded by hatred. And although his hatred was justified, I will not follow his policy of irreconcilability. In these hard times we suffer our people need a sense of continuity instead of the prospect of another war we cannot hope to survive." Farbauti stated coolly.

Meanwhile, Loki stared in shock at the brute who had called the Jotun queen _mother_ and who had suggested that Laufey was his father- which meant that Byggvir was probably his brother. Half brother, at least. And all of a sudden, Loki missed Thor, his not-brother and yet the only brother he had ever known or cared about.

Life was weird.

"Hey, I understand your resentment. You're right- don't trust Odin." Raven said in a soothing tone. "But this is not about Odin. He's not even here. I'm asking you to trust Loki-"

"You want me to trust the bastard son?" Farbauti arched a surprised brow at her.

Byggvir dropped his weapon and stared at her kind of slack-jarred.

"Yeah." Raven shrugged almost apologetically. "I admit, Loki is probably not the most trustworthy person, either, and yet he is the only one who can bring about peace between Jotunheim and Asgard- because he is not only an Asgardian but also one of yours. So, if you ever want to have the chance of regaining the Casket of Ancient Winters, you should be rooting for him."

Loki wasn't certain he liked his new role as bringer of peace, but he immediately grasped the chance this role offered him should he happen to meet Odin during their (hopefully) brief stay in Asgard. He could claim to be a mediator in the everlasting conflict between Jotuns and Asgardians- and it didn't matter if he actually tried to negotiate the return of the Casket of Ancient Winters as long as it stopped Odin from killing the wayward son he had adopted or taken hostage so many years ago.

Clever little witch! He had to give her that even though it had probably not been her main intention. She was foolish enough to believe he could actually be a peacemaker. Well then, it was about time to leave this ghastly place and go on his mission...

The way things were right now, it wouldn't do to simply cast shadows in order to ease a sudden departure. They had to say goodbye, repeat some half-hearted promises, and then make it to the Chitauri chariot before Byggvir's mistrust could stop them- his _brother_ (it still sounded so strange, even totally wrong) continued to give him the impression he'd love to ram him head-first into the permafrost soil of Jotunheim, and Loki wasn't certain he deserved that. Well, perhaps he did since he didn't have much respect for his Jotun brother, either.

Raven and Farbauti said farewell. Fortunately, it wasn't a teary one even though it was unlikely they'd ever meet again and they had gotten on so well with each other. Funny little witch and her compassion for freaks and monsters she managed to pacify- probably it was that flaw of hers that had spared them a fierce and bloody confrontation with the Jotuns.

Loki grabbed her arm and dragged Raven towards the Chitauri chariot, nodding politely at Farbauti, Byggvir, and the rest of their hunting party. He was wise enough to not repeat any promise he didn't mean to keep before he kick-started the engine and the spacecraft rose from the ground. He was feeling better with every inch it rose, moving away from the group of Jotuns until their weapons couldn't possibly harm him anymore.

Less than a minute later, they were already high up in the mountains of Jotunheim and the Frost Giants were just a speck in the distance. It was then he recognised that peculiar rock formation he had been looking for, heading straight towards it

"Whoa!" Raven gasped as she watched them approaching a massive rock wall in front of them at full speed, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I hope you know what you're doing!"

Loki grinned. "It's fun!"

She tightened her grip around his waist, and he liked that. Although she was an annoying, meddlesome little witch, she was also quite a pretty witch he didn't mind at all cuddling up to him.

The rock wall was now so close, ranging up high into the skies, it seemed they would collide into it any minute, and yet Loki was keeping his course. But it wasn't madness, nor was he on a suicidal mission. Although Raven was still without her magic, she nevertheless noticed that they were heading towards another rift in time and space, another wormhole of the universe.

"Are we doing the time warp again?"

Loki didn't get her pop culture reference but nodded anyway. "Yes."

An instant later, she was feeling the sensation of being pressed into a tight tube again, and once more it wasn't like Apparition at all. It was so much more impressive, more mind-blowing, more... _wow_!

More like slithering through time and space while catching a brief glimpse at worlds unknown to her, bathing in comet showers and watching a myriad of stars she had never seen before. For a moment, she thought she could also see the branches of a giant tree- _Yggdrasil_\- although she had believed that to be... well, not really a fairy tale but more like a metaphor, since the idea of a tree in space was quite absurd.

At long last, the wormhole spat her back out into a nightly world with a sky full of stars and enlightened by colourful nebulas. A balmy breeze caressed her skin; it smelled of summer... Raven took a deep breathe, enjoying the warmth until she noticed that her magic, not available to her in Jotunheim, was returning with full force. It almost knocked her over, but she was too giddy about it to complain as she was dancing in a shower of sparks she emitted.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Her magic was back and Raven was dancing in a shower of sparks she admitted; they were forming between her fingertips, teasingly, playfully, and she just couldn't help but juggle with them for the sheer fun of it, giggling with joy.

"Stop it!" Loki chided her in a sharp tone, although he was slightly amused by her antics; he knew what it was like to be bereft of his magic. "Silly witch! I'm trying hard to veil us in shadows so Heimdall cannot detect our presence here in Asgard, and you're trying to carelessly thwart my efforts by sending him a big hello."

"Oh..." Immediately, Raven stopped the sparks from flying and stood still. Her fingers were reaching for her wand in order to cast a notice-me-not spell, but it seemed to work even without a wand. Apparently, her magic was much stronger in Asgard than it was on Earth since she could perform wandless magic in a way she had never experienced before.

Loki smirked before he turned away and walked toward the edge of a cliff, staring into the distance. Raven joined him and gasped with surprise as she watched the scenery in front of them.

Although it was night, it wasn't dark due to the myriad of stars and the colourful nebulas in the sky, which painted this world in a diffuse light that allowed her to see more details than expected.

They were in the mountains. Behind them, the shadows of trees were rising, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze. Occasionally, Raven could smell the sweet scent of flowers.

Beneath them, the waves of a great lake or an ocean were crashing against rocks, sending white fumes of spray up into the air.

It was beautiful, but more impressing than the beauty of nature was the sight that greeted her when she followed Loki's gaze to the spires and turrets of a city in the distance. Towering all the other buildings was a huge, golden palace; the heart of Asgard.

Loki stood lost in thoughts as he watched the golden city with its palace that was once his home, that had influenced him from childhood on, and Raven started to understand his burning desire to rule this place. She understood how tempting it must be to grow up in a palace like that, fuelled with the lie he was born to be king until all of his hopes to ever best Thor in the race for the throne had been shattered with the revelation of his true parentage.

She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Her touch made him turn around to stare at her, his eyes still clouded with memories. He was back in that vault again, confronting Odin...

_'It all makes sense now why you favoured Thor all these years. Because no matter how much you claim to _love_ me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the Throne of Asgard...'_

There was so much anger, frustration and desperation in his voice, and it wasn't over yet when his memory ended abruptly due to her witnessing it. His inner turmoil was obvious to her, especially after the recent revelations in Jotunheim, and perhaps it was utterly silly and foolish of her to ask, "You alright?"

Of course, he wasn't. He was still shaken, but the probably stupid question deserved to be answered with a lie.

"Yes," he said.

"You know, the practice of taking hostages is of an ancient nature; it has been used constantly throughout history with conquered nations as a preventive measure against war, to ensure an armistice or peace treaty. Especially offspring of the elite or even princes were taken hostage, and generally treated according to their rank; they were given an elitist education that would not only influence them culturally but also loyally, raised with the ideals of the superior party, the hostage-takers, in order to open the way for an amicable political line later, after being released and installed as ruler.. " Raven fell silent when she noticed that a history lesson wouldn't make him feel any better. She shrugged. "Well, I must admit, though, that in the good old days of taking political hostages, both parties usually knew about it. I doubt, however, that Laufey knew you're still alive-"

"Are you trying to comfort me, little witch?" Loki asked, sounding irritated. "Please spare me your sentiments. I don't need them. I have no feelings for Laufey."

She thought his gruff rebuke was just for self-protection because he must be devastated after what he had learned in Jotunheim, so in spite of his words, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him the hug he so sorely needed.

Loki went rigid for a moment; he thought about pushing her away since he hated the sentimentalities she bestowed upon him. But then he realized there were worse things than being hugged by a pretty witch, and so he pulled her tighter into his embrace, snuggling up to her. Her body was soft and warm, and she smelled good. It gave him the idea to become a tad bit bolder than it was probably appropriate.

"Um-" Raven's eyes widened when she noticed his lips were seeking hers for a kiss, and she took half a step backwards; her hands dropped from his neck to his arms as she kept him at distance. "What do you think you're doing, Loki?"

"I'm about to claim my reward."

"What?" Her frown increased; she recalled that he had indeed mentioned something about claiming his reward... some days ago, after they had broken into S.H.I.E.L.D central in order to retrieve the Tesseract. But he couldn't possibly mean...

"You still owe me a kiss," he said with a smile.

_Oh no!_ "I never promised you one."

"Ooh, now you're cruel-"

"No, I'm married."_ Stop grinning at me, idiot!_ Damn, but she was feeling torn. She loved Severus with all of her heart and she took her vows seriously; she would never take it into consideration to betray her husband. And yet, it _was_ hard to resist temptation. Loki's lips were smiling, looking so very inviting, and it had been such a long time since she had been kissed, since Severus was in bloody Kathmandu and she missed him tremendously while Loki was available, and- _damned_\- she really liked him. Despite all of his flaws and his grave imbalance, he had gotten under her skin, had clandestinely weaselled his way into her heart.

His smirk got bigger and wider as if he'd figured her out. There was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes when he purred, "What if you weren't married?"

Raven chose to ignore his question. She was no fool. She knew his flirtation was just another game he was playing; he didn't have any real feelings for her. Loki just wanted to have some fun, some distraction so he wouldn't have to think about the things that were troubling him. She could deal with that- it was better than having to fear she might break his poor little black heart with her rejection..

"Stop it, Loki!" She gave him a peck on his cheek while at the same she pressed a palm against his chest in a fair warning to not push his luck too far. "All I wanted was to give you some solace after the events in Jotunheim and what you had to learn there. That's all. I didn't come to Asgard because I was particularly keen on space travel, nor was it my intention to escape my marriage in order to have sex with you. I came to Asgard for a reason."

He didn't come up with a witty remark as Raven would have expected. Instead, Loki turned away from her and was staring into the distance again, at that golden palace. After a moment of silence, he quietly heaved a sigh before he finally glanced back at her.

"Very well, little witch. You want to save Asgard and protect the realm from evil a mortal scientist might bring to it?" He made an inviting gesture towards the golden city. "Go! I will wait for your return."

"Um..." Now, that was clearly not what she had expected, so she gaped at him with wide eyes. But what had she expected anyway? That they were in on it together as friends, as partners in crime? Raven shook her head, feeling foolish for having hoped just that when she should have known all along he was a wild card, totally unpredictable- even though she was quite good at figuring out his lies. He hadn't lied about that, however. Loki had never promised to return to Asgard in order to try and fix his troubled relationship with his adoptive parents, as she had hoped he would do when she had talked him into coming here. Her fault! She should have known better, and now she could only adjust to the given situation, and make the best of it.

"Alright, then," she decided in an enforced cheerful tone, "that's what I came here for. Hey-ho, let's go!"

Raven took a few steps forwards, still hoping that Loki would change his mind and accompany her on her way to the city of Asgard. But when she turned to glance at him, she saw him sitting cross-legged at the edge of the cliff. He looked as if he didn't want to be bothered by her.

_Great!_ She wasn't keen on going all on her own- actually, she didn't like to _go_ at all. It seemed to be a long distance for a walk, and she was feeling tired at the idea of having to cover that distance without using any magical means of transportation. Could she dare to Apparate to the gates of the city? Or would that attract the attention of that Heimdall guy?

Raven was about to ask Loki when he called for her to stop and wait. He cast his eyes heavenwards in a display of exasperation.

"Really? You want to wander around Asgard with no idea of where to go and without any plan- except, of course, for your noble notion that you have to warn the people of an evil mortal scientist who happens to be the love-interest of their beloved prince?"

"Well, yeah, that was the plan... sort of," Raven mumbled. The way he had summed it up made her realize that it was probably not the best plan she'd ever had; she really hadn't thought things over as well and thoroughly as she should have before going on a trip through space with him.

"I-" She began, but he cut her off immediately.

"Do you think you might possibly manage to keep your mouth shut and stop babbling for a moment?"

Raven swallowed the snappish response that was on the tip of her tongue when she noticed Loki was trying to focus on his magic; she could almost sense it radiating from him in a faint, greenish-golden glow. She decided to remain silent, watching him instead.

For an instant, she thought she could see the illusion of a woman forming in the air in front of him; she was beautiful, standing regal like a true queen. But as if a curtain was dropping, Raven was soon excluded not only from the view but also from the conversation Loki was apparently having with that woman, presumably Frigga. Of course, she could have tried to magically lift the curtain in order to get an impression of whatever was going on between the wayward son and his mother- she resisted that urge, though, because she didn't want to invade the moment of privacy just out of curiosity. Instead, she considered it wiser to wait and see whether he would fill her in.

After a few minutes had passed, Raven noticed his magic waning and the curtain was being lifted again. Loki didn't glance at her but was staring into space. Then he said in a matter-of-factly tone, "No one will believe you if you walk into the palace- given you actually succeed in that and don't get stopped by the Einherjar forces- and simply claim that Thor's dearly beloved mortal represents a danger to the realm. Therefore, I arranged a meeting with Frigga, the Queen of Asgard. You will meet her at a simple tavern in the lower districts of Asgard. If anyone will listen to you, she's the one."

Raven would have loved to ask him how he was feeling after his meeting with Frigga, but she knew he wouldn't give her an honest answer anyway; Loki didn't want to talk about sentiments. Well, there were things that could wait, while there were others of a more pressing nature. "Is it okay to Apparate there?"

"Yes. I will keep Heimdall distracted. I'm good at that. But-" Loki turned to glance at her. His eyes were scanning her from head to toe and a mischievous smile curled up his lips. "-you cannot walk into the city of Asgard looking so obviously Midgardian. You will have to adjust to the Asgardian dress code in order to not raise suspicion."

If someone aimed a wand at you, it was pretty obvious you're going to get hexed. The tricky thing about wandless magic was that it was so much more clandestine and unexpected, and the moment you sensed the spell coming your way, it was probably already too late to react.

However, Raven wasn't dealing with a Dark wizard; this was Loki, and she knew he wasn't going to harm her. Therefore, she let it happen- and then she wished she hadn't.

"Damn!" She cursed as she glanced down her body. "Great, I've become Xena, the Warrior Princess."

She was clad in black leather and parts of armour that seemed to be rather superfluous given that there was still way too much naked skin that wasn't covered at all. Of course, it was just an illusion Loki had cast on her, and although she definitely wasn't prudish- in her youth, Raven had danced with even less clothes on in a shady bar mostly frequented by Death Eaters, doing the Mata Hari- this attire was decidedly much too short, too tight, and most of all, too ridiculous for witch of her age. After all, she wasn't twenty anymore...

"I don't know Princess Xena, but I can assure you that you look ravishing," Loki said, enjoying her discomfort, and in amusement he watched her making changes to the attire he had designed with the image of Sif in his mind. Admittedly, the witch couldn't best Sif in bust size, but she had lovely legs, long and well-toned, and- unfortunately- much too soon covered in tight black leggings. If he was impressed by the way Raven could so easily undo his magic and replace it with her own, he didn't show it.

"Thanks, Loki. I'm certain it's important to look ravishing when I talk to Frigga about Jane Foster." Keeping her cool, Raven arched a quizzical brow at him, and asked, "Is that really what Asgardian women dress like?"

"Well, some do. We're a nation of warriors. Of course, I could have clad you in a nice gown, just like any simple maid- but you would never pass for one." Loki grinned at her. "Go, now!"

-ooOoo-

Raven Apparated from the cliffs straight to the edge of a forest, close to the gates of the golden city. Surprised by the unusual, new power of her magic she tumbled over when she re-materialized and landed on her back in a thicket of shrubs. Cursing silently, she emerged from it, picking twigs and leaves out of her hair before she realized there were easier ways to clean herself up.

A little later, looking decent again (and hopefully unobtrusive enough pass the guards), she followed the cobbled road in front of her, leading to an impressive gate. It was standing wide open and was merely guarded by two warriors in Asgardian armour.

Meanwhile, a new day had dawned. Raven tried to not appear too fascinated by the spectacle in the sky that came along with the fading of the stars and the rising of the sun. Its first rays made the various nebulas almost explode in a bust of multiple colours before they were no longer to be seen.

She had to suppress her delight at that sight, because despite the early hour, there were already people on the road heading for the city. They were mostly simple folk, probably coming from rural settlements nearby, and they proved Loki's statement wrong that Asgard was a nation of warriors. There were also farmers, hunters and fishermen, taking their goods to the market in the city.

It was like an idyllic scene from a picture about medieval times on Earth.

Joining them, it wasn't hard for Raven to pass the guards at the gate without causing suspicion. In fact, the security measures seemed to be quite lax, as if Asgard didn't have anything to fear. Bifrost was still broken and all the other ways into this realm were unknown- or known to only a few, like Loki.

A little later, Raven was wandering the streets of a city that looked medieval in architecture but was modern all the same in a way she couldn't even explain. Somehow, it reminded her of wizarding Britain, of places like Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, and yet it wasn't like that either. Asgard was definitely more advanced than the wizarding world. The lines between magic and science were definitely blurred here.

Now, some might say that magic is science yet to be understood. Raven, however, begged to differ because she knew real magic, and even though some things did look magical to her, they weren't. There had to be an advanced technology behind them since she couldn't sense any magic in the streets of Asgard (and she knew the feeling of Asgardian magic, the _aura_ it emitted...)

In a very strange way, Asgard was also more advanced than the Muggle world. Admittedly, you didn't notice it at first glance if you looked at the candles and torches burning, or watched the people riding horses. You would expect the air to smell of burning wood, of charcoal and horse droppings- of medieval days without proper functioning sewerage system- but the air was fresh and unpolluted.

Probably, Asgard's superiority only showed if you raised your eyes to the skies and saw space crafts, elegant little ships in comparison to the Chitauri chariots, roaming it soundlessly and without causing any emission.

While Raven most certainly didn't miss the emission of cars, the lack of it made her come up with the idea that exactly that was likely to be the reason for the different development of the worlds she knew- they all had different energy sources.

If she had paid more attention to Stark's technobabble on how the Chitauri chariot was charged, she might have figured it out earlier- of course, Tony hadn't visited a secret filling station for alien aircrafts to make it fly again, and she doubted there where any, neither on Earth nor in Space- therefore it was the only reasonable explanation.

The wizarding world relied on magic, and magic alone, as its driving force. True, many of the younger wizards and witches were flirting with the achievements of Muggle technology, like the internet and social media (it was decidedly more agreeable to use a smartphone than having to stick your head in a sooty fireplace if you want to talk to someone), but the traditional hardliners were strictly adverse to that.

Muggles, however, relied on oil and other fossil fuels as energy sources. Ever since they had discovered how to use them for progress and profit, they had started to exploit all possible resources of their realm, not caring if they ruined the environment or polluted the air. They were quite reckless in their mad scramble for technological progress, on the other hand, they were also fairly adaptive and not adverse to research the possibilities of renewable energy sources, like wind and sun... and, unfortunately, the powers of the Tesseract...

… _if only these freaks at S.H.I.E.L.D had done more research in the direction of '_a warm light for all mankind to share'_, Loki's jab at Fury about the Cube, instead of developing weapons of mass destruction- but it was easy to put the blame on others when her own kind, the wizards and witches, could and should do more to solve the energy problem. After all, they shared one world with the Muggles, and they only had this one world... _

But these thoughts and ideas weren't supportive now. Raven shook her head as she continued walking the streets of Asgard, heading towards the tavern Loki had described to her. For just a little while longer, she was still mulling things over, wondering about this and that, before she finally focussed on why she had come here in the first place.

Keeping that in mind, she opened the door to the tavern and entered, trying to appear as if she was not a foreigner, trying to act as unobtrusive as if she belonged there.

It was hard, though, to not stare, to not gape at the interior or at the patrons frequenting this place- mostly simple folk, servants, peasants and soldiers. The interior of the tavern was simple, too, made of stone and wood. There were some wooden tables and benches, and the room was lightened by torches flickering in plain holders made of dark wrought-iron.

Raven liked the crowdedness inside the tavern, because a good hustle and bustle was perfect for someone who wanted to go unnoticed, and she seemed to blend in quite well. Admittedly, there weren't many women dressed like Xena (in fact, she was the only one), but at least no one was staring at her.

Although the place was jam-packed, there was actually a free table at the far back of the tavern. It almost amounted to a miracle, but since Raven didn't really believe in miracles, she could detect a trace of an unknown magic keeping that specific table unoccupied.

_Was it Frigga's magic? _

If so, she had done a good job by choosing the table because it allowed Raven to sit with her back to the wall while she had a good overview of the tavern and its entrance... and because that was probably a tad too perfect, Raven knew instinctively that Frigga wouldn't just walk in through the front door. Therefore, she remained vigilant and wasn't only watching her surroundings but also checked it with her magical senses.

After a while, one of the barmaids approached her and asked what she would like to drink.

_Coffee! _Was the first thing that came to Raven's mind; she was dying for a good cup of coffee. But since she hadn't seen a coffee machine upon entering, she stopped herself from causing suspicion by ordering one, recalling that coffee was probably not known in Asgard at all. Instead, she merely raised one finger to indicate she would have whatever was common here.

The maid smiled at her, and a little later, a simple pitcher filled with a golden liquid was placed in front of her. It smelled much too sweetly for her liking, and the taste was even worse than Butterbeer. It was sickening.

As Raven tried to down the sip she had taken without spitting it back out, she was distracted for a mere moment, and when she glanced up again, she met the amused eyes of a woman who clearly didn't want to be recognized since she was wrapped in a cape with a hood that hid her face almost completely.

"You must be the one Loki sent," the woman said.

Frigga, the Queen of Asgard! Raven eyed her quickly, trying to take in as much of her as possible. She noticed her beauty, the skilful style her hair was done in plaits and curls pinned up underneath the hood, the way she was dressed in precious silk combined with parts of armour covering her chest. Raven realized at once that this woman was just like her clothes- elegant, soft as silk, and yet cold as steel. A worthy queen, a fierce warrior, a doting mother, all in one person.

"A mortal witch!" Frigga arched a delicate brow at Raven and admitted, "Loki will never cease to surprise me with his choice of allies."

Raven merely smiled at her; she would not blurt out anything related to Loki- at least not until she had figured out Frigga. But that wasn't an easy thing to do, because just like Raven, Frigga was keeping her cards close to her chest. Both women were trying to estimate each other in a duel of wits and willpower, using their magic.

"I didn't even know that magic still exists in Midgard," Frigga offered after a while; she was now smiling at Raven as if she was inviting her to engage in a polite small talk, when in fact it was just a change of strategy. The Queen of Asgard was as charming as she was cunning.

Raven noticed that and remained guarded. "Well, I guess there are many things you don't know about Midgard."

"That is true. But we're not here to talk about Midgard, yes?"

Raven nodded.

"So what are you here for, witch?" Frigga turned cool blue eyes at her, hard as steel. It was a signal that the time of beating about the bush, of playing games, was over. Now, she wanted answers. "What is Loki's scheme?"

"Loki's scheme?" Raven frowned- _had he really burned that many bridges that even Frigga seemed to expect the worst of him-?_ She occluded her mind to not let Frigga see what's bothering her, before she continued with more poise than she actually felt, "Oh, you're wrong to believe I'm just his messenger. I wouldn't even say I'm his ally. I'm his friend."

She paused for a moment in order to take in the spark of surprise flashing up in Frigga's eyes, and probably she was wrong to believe the mother had already given up all hope for her wayward son- the queen, however, had to act more controlled, keeping the general good for Asgard her top priority. And right now, Frigga was feeling torn.

"Loki didn't wish to return to Asgard. He agreed to accompany me, because I persuaded him. He is very well aware of the risk, and yet he helped me to get here- and believe me, I wouldn't have travelled such a fucking long way through time and space just because it was my burning desire to see the beauty of Asgard for once in my lifetime." Decidedly not. Raven would have preferred to be sitting on her sofa in her home in New York, drinking a good glass of wine while waiting for her husband's return from Kathmandu, instead of being a millions miles away at a place that didn't even have coffee. And right now, she should have told Frigga the reason for her visit. But she didn't. Raven fell silent when she realized that although moment seemed to be opportune, it was nevertheless neither the right time nor the right place.

Sometimes, you just got lost in a crowd. But in this tavern, she was feeling uncomfortable in the crowd. There were too many eyes, too many ears, too many guys clad like soldiers- _how many of them were actually present to guard their queen?_\- and Raven didn't want any of them to eavesdrop on what she had to say. Not because the idea of a mortal scientist fooling Asgardians due to the influence of a weird Chitauri sceptre might sound too absurd for their ears. No. It was because of Loki. She didn't want anyone but Frigga to know he was back in Asgard, and the longer she lingered, the greater was the risk of discovery..

Frigga realized her reservation and didn't ask any more questions. Instead, she invited Raven to take a walk with her, and Raven agreed.

The two women left the tavern through a backdoor Raven hadn't even noticed before; it led to a dingy yard. They crossed it and went along a narrow alley that soon opened to a wider street. Frigga turned left, keeping her head low and hooded so she wouldn't be recognized by any passers-by. Fortunately, there were only a few anyway.

After a while, they reached a crossing. There, Frigga chose a road leading slightly uphill. They passed some elegant houses with neat front gardens, but just around the next bend, the scenery changed. The road narrowed until it was more like a cobbled path; the noises of the city faded and were replaced by the chirping of birds. And still, Frigga walked on, leading the way through an orchard with blossoming apple trees.

"Alright," Raven decided, since they were definitely as far away from any eavesdropping crowd as they could be, so she asked Frigga, "would you please care to tell me where we're going?"

"I want to see my son, and you will take me to him," Frigga replied in the casual tone of someone who was used to being obeyed.

Raven, however, was not a particularly obedient person. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Whoa! Wait! That was not the deal."

Frigga stopped, too. She turned around to arch a quizzical brow at the witch, who stood in the middle of the road like a stubborn mule, and corner of her lips began to twitch ever so slightly because somehow, Raven's demeanour reminded her a little of Loki when he was younger.

"I told you that Loki didn't want to return to Asgard for obvious reasons," Raven continued, "he only came here due to my begging, and he didn't express his explicit wish to see you when I left him earlier on."

If these words were like a dagger to a loving mother's heart, Frigga didn't show it; first and foremost she was the queen of this realm, and a queen didn't reveal her feeling to anyone, last of all to a mortal witch from Midgard. On the other hand, she knew well enough that her current attitude wouldn't get her anyway- Raven had made that quite clear the moment she had pointed out she wasn't Loki's ally but his friend, and Frigga knew there was a fine difference. An ally didn't care the way a friend did...

"Any yet, he contacted me," she insisted. "After all, I'm his mother."

"Biologically, you're not- unless you've had a secret affair with Laufey-" _Oh dear, I'm talking myself into trouble_, Raven noticed and quickly added, "I'm sorry, your majesty. That was rather uncalled-for."

"Yes. But the fact that I have not given birth to Loki doesn't mean I love him less."

"Probably not," Raven heaved a sigh, "you just have a strange way of showing it. After all, you lied to him his entire life."

"We only wanted to protect him from the truth." Frigga replied, but her answer came too quickly and sounded too well rehearsed to belie the hint of doubt flickering up in her eyes.

"Ah, yes. And didn't that go incredibly well?" Raven's voice was dripping with sarcasm now. "If the truth is something you have to be protected from, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the one you want to protect never learned to treasure it much. By lying to him, you raised a very talented liar."

"We didn't want him to feel any different-"

"You did splendidly! Drop a whale in the desert and tell him to not feel any different! You stole him. You fed him with lies. You made him believe he stood a chance if only he tried hard enough. You fucked it up! Loki _is_ different; no matter how hard he tried, he always knew that just like everyone else did. In a nation full of reckless warriors, he is the whale in the desert, the Slytherin amongst Gryffindors, the stranger longing for respect but reaping mockery instead. And when he finally learned the truth, and the revelation nearly shattered him, you were all too busy with yourselves. Odin took a nap; you worried about Odin, about Thor, and you left Loki all to himself, hurt and confused, feeling betrayed by the ones he trusted most, and to top it all, you burdened him with the crown, with the responsibility, at a time when he was still struggling to digest the news, the lies. Then he had to face disrespect and disobedience, the disregard of his position, and you let it all happen because you failed to see how desperate and broken he really was- and damned, I'm not denying the awful choices he made or the horrible, almost inexcusable things he did. They're so easy to condemn and so hard to understand in all of their negativity and destructiveness, but in the end he let go before you could give him the final shove. Yeah, you really did fucking fantastically well!"

Never before had anyone spoken so bluntly to Frigga, the Queen of Asgard; Odin would never have allowed anyone to be that forthright, at least not without punishing that person severely. But Odin wasn't there to hear Raven's rant, and so Frigga submitted herself to it instead of reminding the mortal of her position. Actually, she even admired the witch's courage of not mincing her words while bringing her very own royal failure straight to the point, because Raven seemed to really care for Loki; she was truly his friend- Loki had never had any other friend but Thor, his brother, and even that friendship had always been a strained one. Especially now. After their most recent fights, Thor had given up on his little brother. He was fed up with Loki's schemes.. .

Frigga heaved a weary sigh as she recalled, lost in thoughts. "I've been looking for him ever since he fell into the Void. I never gave up hope, though. Months later, I finally found him in a faraway galaxy. He was unusually brusque... he told me to leave him alone."

_Bad timing_, Raven thought,_ probably she interrupted his negotiations with the Chitauri as he bargained for a chance to stay alive..._

"Well, there are wounds that run too deep and they will never heal; some scars will never fade."

Her words made Frigga pale. She turned cool blue eyes at Raven and asked in a demanding tone, "What happened to my son?"

The steel in her voice couldn't hide the worries lying underneath, swinging in the undertone as she began to realize what Loki might have been through. For a moment, she appeared shocked and saddened behind the regal posture of a warrior queen, but Raven didn't cave in. She knew that Frigga loved Loki, and yet she simply shrugged any feelings of sympathy or compassion for her off before she replied, "I don't know. Loki didn't tell me, and even if he did, I still wouldn't tell you. It's up to him what he's willing to share with you-"

All of a sudden, Raven fell silent. Something was amiss. She didn't know what it was for it just seemed to be a strange feeling of unease and foreboding that was befalling her like a bolt out of the blue. A cold shiver was running down her spine as she cast her eyes heavenwards and saw two dark birds crossing the sky above them. Ravens. Her namesakes. Birds of ill omen, harbingers of bad luck...

"Damn," she cursed silently before glancing at Frigga, "what's going on here?"

"Huginn and Muninn," Frigga whispered in response, "Odin's eyes and ears- they found Loki!"

.  
..


	15. Chapter 15

_a/n: If anybody has been waiting for an update- sorry, I'm a slow writer. Let me just assure you- if anyone cares- that I will not abandon this story. _

_Feedback is always very much appreciated._

_And I would like to remind you that this is very much AU, especially now since everybody has seen Age of Ultron._

Chapter 15

The Creature lying dormant in the shadow of a mind awakened when the ravens returned to the palace, bringing news. It raised Its head; dark and menacing eyes were watching the Allfather as he listened to the caw of the birds only he could understand, but to the Creature, words didn't matter. The Creature comprehended the meaning and absorbed the knowledge greedily, scheming. It grinned triumphantly. Time for vengeance had finally come.

The Allfather furrowed his brows, then he called for the Thunderer, who was by his side immediately. Following a quick exchange of words, the golden-haired boy swung his hammer with a grim expression on his face before he took off to the skies, leaving his little mortal bride alone with the Allfather.

"What's happening, Allfather?" Jane Foster sounded worried, if not scared, and the Creature enjoyed that the most. Soft brown eyes were facing the Allfather.

The old man reached out to pat the mortal's arm in a comforting, almost paternal gesture. He had come to like her because she was compassionate, head-strong and intelligent. Her understanding of the Tesseract had been a key in the process of restoring Bifrost- only a few more tests and the rainbow bridge would be whole again. Admittedly, he still believed his son- his heir- could do better than choosing Jane Foster as his bride and future queen, but since he knew the lifespan of her race was ephemeral in comparison to that of Asgardians, he couldn't bring himself to deny his beloved son that short moment of happiness. Soon, she would perish, and a blink of an eye later, she would be forgotten.

"They found Loki." The old man said, and when the mortal flinched, he quickly added, "Do not worry. He will face Asgardian justice for the crimes he committed to your realm. Thor will bring him to the palace for trial."

And Thor wouldn't be alone in his attempt to overpower Loki. The Allfather glanced at the sky, encouraging Jane Foster to do the same so that she could see the small fleet of spacecrafts following Thor; he would have the support of his friends and elite soldiers.

They didn't notice the Creature lurking in the shadows. It brimmed with malicious joy.

_Soon..._ Soon Its time would come.

-ooOoo-

_'They found Loki!'_

Raven cursed violently. She had to warn him, had to- but it already seemed to be too late for that. Before she could even start to think about what to do, she spotted the shape of a guy with a big hammer in his hand crossing the skies above her, flying in the direction the ravens had come from, heading for cliffs where she had left Loki.

There was no time left to come up with any plan. She had to react. Now!

Raven grabbed Frigga's arm and took her by Side-Along-Apparition, following her intuition. Of course, she was well aware of the fact that Frigga wouldn't choose one of her sons over the other when the going gets tough, but she might be able to mediate.

Unfortunately, even that idea dissolved into thin air, Raven had to realize all too soon when they re-materialized at the edge of the forest, hidden behind bushes, watching the scene in front of them unfold.

Loki and Thor were fighting, and there was no way to mediate between them because of the spacecrafts gliding through the air above them, carrying the elite of Asgard's army. The Einherjar.

Nevertheless, Raven drew her wand almost instinctively. She just had to do something!

Frigga stopped her from doing anything stupid, and even Loki seemed to have accepted his defeat because he dropped his dagger in surrender.

"You cannot help him now." Frigga said softly as she reached for Raven's hand in order to make her lower her wand. "You may be dressed like a warrior, but you are not."

The fact that Frigga was right made Raven feel even more helpless and miserable. It was all her fault. Loki had not wanted to return to Asgard, but she had insisted, had sort of pressed him into taking her here, although she had been aware of the danger...

"Odin... he will kill him, or worse," she gasped, fearing for Loki.

"He won't." Frigga assured her. "I won't let that happen. Whatever you may think of me, I love both of my sons. Trust me. Take us to the palace so I can have a word with my husband before Thor arrives with Loki- and please, heed my advice- do not interfere. Stay in the background; if possible, become invisible. Odin isn't particularly fond of mortals visiting Asgard."

-ooOoo-

The throne hall was impressive in size. Tall columns were reaching from the floor to a ceiling so high above that Raven felt a little lost in the vastness of the hall.

She was standing next to Frigga, clouded in the shadows of a simple notice-me-not charm she had somehow invented at Hogwarts many years ago (in order to not fall victim to the Marauders' pranks)- here in Asgard, however, with her magical powers increased, that simple charm made her feel as if she was wrapped in an invisibility cloak.

Odin entered the hall and sat down on his throne, a massive thing made of stone. It was Raven's first chance to take a look at the man- king? god?- she had already heard about so much; Frigga had left her waiting outside the room when she had spoken to Odin, and she hadn't yet told her anything about that meeting. The Queen had merely nodded before ushering her into the throne hall, where they had been waiting for at least fifteen minutes until Odin finally appeared, and any of Raven's attempts to find out more of what was going on had been silenced by Frigga's gestures.

So, there was Odin, now. With his white hair and beard, the air he radiated, he almost reminded her of Dumbledore. Well, minus the pesky ever twinkling eyes, of course, but probably it was hard to twinkle if you've only one eye left... also, she couldn't imagine Odin wearing pink socks for they wouldn't match with his armour made of gold and iron...

At his sign, the huge doors at the other end of the hall opened, and a troop of Einherjar soldiers started walking towards the throne, each of them holding the end of a chain. The chains were jingling with every step they made as they led their prisoner to face justice at the hands of their king.

"Loki!" Frigga stepped out of the shadows just before they could reach the row of steps leading up to Odin's throne. A worried frown darkened her features when she noticed all the chains and shackles binding her son.

There were runes engraved in them; Raven recognized them, too. They were meant to bind his magic.

"Hello mother." He stopped to glance at her, and the guards let him. If he noticed Raven lurking in the shadows, he didn't show it but continued in a provocative tone, "Have I made you proud?"

"Please don't make things worse." Frigga begged, wringing her hands."

_Oh, but he will do just that_\- Raven could tell by the stubborn, defiant way he held his head. He may be in chains, his magic may be bound, but Loki would never give anyone the satisfaction to see him defeated.

"Enough!" Odin bellowed from his throne. "I will speak to the prisoner alone."

Frigga retreated; she slipped out of Odin's sight and back into the shadows between the columns, hiding there, but the guards remained in the hall.

Raven frowned. _What the fuck is going on now? _

Loki clicked his heels in a mocking salute, laughing at Odin. Frigga's hopes that he would be sensible and remorseful were in vain, just like Raven had expected all along. Loki wouldn't play nice. He was still too hurt, too angry, and he blamed Odin for all that had gone wrong in his life because he could not forgive the betrayal, the lies...

"I really don't see what all the fuss is about."

"Do you not truly feel the gravity of your crimes? Wherever you go there is war, ruin and death." Odin said in an unrelenting, even disgusted tone, which reminded Raven once more of Dumbledore...

_'You disgust me.'_

"I went to Midgard to rule the people of Earth as benevolent god, just like you." Loki's voice was dripping with sarcasm, but Odin's face remained unfazed as he replied,

"We are not gods. We're born, we live, we die. Just as humans do."

Loki cocked his head as if pondering these words, then he grinned at Odin and deadpanned, "Give or take five-thousand years."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Raven couldn't help but smirk. Odin, however, wasn't amused at all.

"All this because Loki desires a throne..."

_NO! Because __**you**__ made him believe he ever stood a chance in that competition with your golden boy_! Raven was screaming in her mind, and she could almost see the rage burning within Loki getting the better of him.

"It is my birthright!"

Of course, that was the wrong answer.

"Your birthright," Odin spat out the word as if it had a repugnant taste, "was to die as a child. Cast out on a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."

"If I'm for the axe, then for mercy's sake... just swing it. But spare me your lies. You didn't save my life that day. It wasn't compassion or sympathy for an innocent child that prompted you to take me- no, you're not prone to such pathetic sentiments. So don't pretend you did a good deed when you stole me from that temple."

Raven could absolutely not read Odin's mien. His face seemed to be bare of any emotions- perhaps, she just couldn't figure out people wearing an eyepatch. Or he was really as cold as stone.

Unimpressed by Loki's words, Odin decided his fate.

"Frigga is the only reason you are still alive, and you will never see her again. You will spend the rest of your days in the dungeons."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa- wait!" Raven couldn't restrain herself any longer. She stepped out of the shadows, and while becoming visible again, she also shed her glamour. As she proceeded to face Odin, she wasn't clad like Xena, the warrior princess, anymore. Now, she was just Raven, a punk from Midgard, dressed in Muggle clothes... boots, jeans and shirt, all in black. "Was that supposed to be a trial? What about his right to consult an attorney?"

"Remove that mortal from my court!" Odin demanded unceremoniously.

"Is that really what Asgardian justice is about? The ruler, legislator and prosecutor is also the judge and adoptive father of the accused, and he can do whatever he pleases, like locking away the living proof that his experiment of raising a Frost Giant went terribly wrong-"

"Silence! How dare you speak to me like that. Don't you know who I am?"

"I do- but didn't you just mention yourself that you are no god? And even if you were, I'm not a religious person. I see no reason to worship you."

Loki was probably the only one in the hall who thought that amusing. He smirked. The guards, however, were as scandalized as if Raven had just committed a serious sacrilege. But only a very few of them dared to let go of Loki's chains in order to go on a witch hunt. Most of them mistrusted Loki more than they feared a mortal witch from Midgard.

"You are biased!" Raven accused Odin after Disapparating (in order to escape two armed guards) and re-appearing out of thin air at the edge of the stairs leading to his throne. "You shouldn't be allowed to sit in judgement on Loki because no fair judgement can be expected from you-"

Odin banged his mighty spear Gungnir on the floor. Raven felt as if she was being catapulted to the very end on the throne hall, but when she managed to get back to her feet again, she realized she was still only a few meters from where she had started.

"You want to defend Loki's crimes?" He asked in a challenging tone.

"No. I simply believe that everyone deserves a fair trial. Where I come from-"

"Where you come from," Odin cut her off, all cool and uncaring, "and how you deal with your criminals, does not interest me. I will handle things the way they were always handled here."

"Then your realm is far less advanced than I thought. In fact, it's not any better than some of the most totalitarian and despotic regimes we know on Earth."

Odin glanced at her for the first time. He still wasn't impressed by Raven's defiant behaviour, nor by her magical skills, but at least he arched a slightly interested brow at her. "You speak of fairness you accuse me to be lacking, but tell me, witch, do you really not care about the devastation Loki brought upon your realm?"

"Well, I do. I am fully aware of the fact that Loki is not a saint. I know he committed some really atrocious crimes- but that's not the point. The point is, what caused him to be so fucked up that he nearly became the destroyer of worlds, and in that, Odin, you had a fair share. It's so fucking easy to point your finger and put all the blame on him, but truth is, you're guilty all the same. You fed him with lies. You made him believe he was someone he could never be, and when that house of cards collapsed on him, you washed your hands of it, of him, negating your role in game you played with him... and now you want us all to fall in line. But I will not cooperate. I've never been one to fall in line. I'm a difficult person, I have to admit. And I know the truth. I know what you did, what you're trying to hide. And albeit truth is a fickle thing, apparently not valued much here, it isn't something you can lock away forever. One day it will hit back, turn against you and bite you in your oh-so-royal, godly arse..."

Now, Raven really had to jump in order to escape Odin's wrath fired at her by Gungnir, his spear. She _Disapparated_ and fled into invisibility between the columns at the far end of the hall.

Loki was still grinning in amusement when the guards led him to the dungeons. He might have lost a battle, but the war wasn't lost yet. Things could have turned out worse.

-ooOoo-

Raven was clutching her left arm; it was burning with pain of where the blast of Odin's damned spear had hit her, and she could feel blood tickling through her fingers. She cursed silently. Of course, she hadn't expected Odin to be understanding- he was too set in his ways for that, and probably he was still used to being the almighty Allfather, worshipped as god by primitive mortals of former centuries- but trying to kill her for speaking the truth _was _a crass reaction.

Her escape had been a scarce one.

She was in the mood to bang some doors, so upset was she. Yes, she knew that was a childish notion (even though it did help sometimes), and besides, the doors of the hall were huge and heavy beasts, built of massive stone.

Hidden under her spell that made her invisible, Raven leaned with her back to the wall and tried to gather her thoughts. She had not come to Asgard to slam shut any doors. She hadn't come here either to have a groundbreaking discussion about pedagogy with Odin. No, she had come here for another reason, for a more pressing matter, and if she had told Frigga immediately without going for a walk with her, none of that would have happened. Loki wouldn't have had to face Odin, wouldn't be locked away in a cell somewhere- wherever- now, and she wouldn't be dripping blood on the floor of Asgard's palace...

Raven rummaged through her bag in order to find a piece of fabric she could wrap around her bleeding arm and thus avoid being detected by the stains she left, then she decided she had to go and find Frigga. The Queen was probably the only one she could trust, the only sensible person in this realm of mad warriors, the only one who might actually listen to her. Also, she was decidedly the only one who would possibly help her to spring Loki from jail. Because she was the only one in Asgard who had not completely given up on him.

She briefly wondered why she hadn't seen Thor at that farce of a trial, but then she recalled that Odin had excluded the public (including family members) from it. He had even sent Frigga away. And yet, she had never left the throne hall. She had been hiding in the shadows, hearing every word that had been spoken...

Where was she now? How could Raven possibly find her in that huge, golden palace?

But she didn't have to search for Frigga; Frigga had already found her.

"Come with me."

It took Raven a moment to realize it wasn't the queen herself- her form was the slightest bit foggy at the edges. Frigga had sent an illusion of her, and that also explained how she had found her when she was invisible to almost everyone in the palace.

Raven followed the illusion of Frigga to a door. There, the illusion dissolved into thin air. Raven knocked at the door and, while waiting for an invitation to enter, she cast a quick _Revelio Charm_ just to ascertain herself that Frigga was alone and no nasty surprise in form of Odin or his elite soldiers was waiting for her. She briefly wondered if _Homenum Revelio_ made any sense in Asgard, but then again the Asgardians were a humanoid species that didn't differ much other from humans- except for their greater strength, of course, and _'give or take five thousand years'_ of extended lifespan...

The charm revealed that there was only one person in the room, Frigga, and she invited Raven inside.

She opened the door to a spacious alignment of rooms, flooded by bright sunlight and delicately furnished in warm, earth-coloured hues that radiated a feeling of homeliness. Raven let go of her invisibility.

The Queen of Asgard turned around to face her, and almost at the same time she noticed, "You're wounded."

"It's just a scratch," Raven replied, but Frigga insisted to take a look at it.

"Foolish girl!" She chided Raven before she took care of the wound and stopped it from bleeding. "You shouldn't have provoked Odin. Deep in his heart, he is a good man."

"Yeah, sure. If you say so." Raven's voice lacked conviction. After a pause in which she flexed her arm and flashed Frigga a grateful smile, she continued with more vigour. "He may be a good man, but he's a lousy father if he had to banish one of his sons to Earth as punishment for arrogance and reckless behaviour, and when the boy fell into the arms of a girl, she managed to cure a thousand years of Odin's poor pedagogical efforts within the course of just a few days. Now, do we have to talk about Loki again? Odin's failure in raising a stolen Jotun offspring-"

Frigga cut her off with a simple question, "Do you have children?" She already seemed to know the answer so she didn't wait for Raven's negotiation. "We all make mistakes, even Odin does. I told him there should be no secrets within a family, but there's a purpose in everything he does. You have to understand the burden lasting on his shoulder. He is not just a father and a family man. Odin is the King of Asgard, the Protector of the Nine Realms; he has to be strict, strong and powerful, unyielding."

Was Frigga hoping for her understanding? Well, perhaps she was right. Perhaps, a king had to act that way- Raven didn't know and she didn't care. After all, she hadn't come to Asgard in order to fix Loki's problems with his adoptive family, nor to solve his issues with daddy Odin. It was much too late for that, anyway. There was no love lost between father and son, no forgiveness on either side. Loki had long lost all respect for him; it had ended the day he had let go and fallen into the Void. No matter what Odin's purpose might have been, Loki would always consider the secrets he had kept as betrayal. A reconciliation between the two was the most unlikely thing to ever happen, therefore she shouldn't waste her time with a discussion leading nowhere when there were more pressing matters at hand, and she had wasted too much time already. If she had told Frigga the reason for her visit to Asgard right from the beginning, things might have not gone so dreadfully wrong and Loki wouldn't be locked away in the dungeons. Now, _that_ was definitely something she had to fix! She had to see Loki, had to explain why she had fucked things up... and then, she had to spring him from jail. Again.

Raven heaved a sigh, doubting it would be as easy as the first time- but first things first, and first of all she had to tell Frigga about the danger Jane Foster posed to Asgard.

It was hard to find the right words, mainly because she knew it sounded absurd that such a nice, gentle and warm-hearted mortal woman like Jane could possibly possessed by a freaking weird alien from the far end of space, and nobody in Asgard had noticed. Least of all Thor...

Also, she had to be convincing without revealing too much about Loki, knowing he didn't want anyone to know or even guess what had happened to him in Chitauri space. Well, she didn't know much about it either, but at least she had a fair idea of what he'd been through if she recalled his nightmares.

-ooOoo-

Frigga was a very astute person. She listened attentively, and it didn't take her long to figure out what Raven was _not_ telling her- the truth about Loki's involvement with the Chitauri and their leader, the Other.

She paled a little as realisation hit her that Loki might have not been quite himself, that he might have been influenced or even controlled by the Chitauri leader, while at the same time a warm smile lit her eyes. At least she knew now that her wayward son wasn't lost yet, hadn't really turned evil.

On the other hand, he had fooled Thor... again. Loki had played tricks on him in order to avert his return to Asgard, and he had sent Jane Foster in his stead. He wanted to avoid having to face Asgardian justice, still lacking the understanding of the gravity of his crimes as he had just shown during his trial. There was no remorse, no admission of guilt- only defiance and provocation.

Frigga shook her head in frustration. The trial could have been Loki's chance to explain why he had acted that way; he could have told them about the influence the Chitauri had on him. But he was too proud, too stubborn... and probably, Odin wouldn't have believed him anyway. Most certainly, he wouldn't believe the witch that Jane Foster posed a threat to his realm and he hadn't noticed it. Frigga wasn't quite certain if she really believed in it since she had spent a lot of time with Jane these past days; she had come to like her.

That fact, however, didn't make things any easier, nor did it solve the problem. Frigga knew the witch was not a liar; she was an honest person. She had not come up with this story for whatever purpose- mainly, because it was too absurd to not be true, and besides, there was nothing to gain but trouble.

Frigga was still sceptical, and while pondering what to do or what to tell Odin, she glanced at Raven and decided that she would keep a close eye on Jane, using her own powers. She would find out if the mortal was truly controlled by an alien mind.

"That's all you're gonna do? " Raven asked, sounding incredulously.

"I can hardly approach Odin with such a story without any evidence, an accusation that comes from the very same mortal witch who had her grand entrance today, offending the Allfather and defending Loki-"

"Yes, yes. Damn, I know I didn't win his heart today, but that's not the point! You have to remove Jane Foster from that Bifrost restoration project at once!"

"Odin will have none of it. The Bifrost is essential to his regency as protector of the Nine Realms. It has been broken for too long." Frigga explained. "He needs it to be fully functional again, for the sake of Asgard."

"And for the sake of Asgard, you should stop Jane from meddling with the powers of the Tesseract!" Raven insisted.

"It was Jane Foster's understanding of the Tesseract and how to use it for his purpose that opened Odin's heart and made him accept Thor's love for her."

"Great! Let her continue and she will wait for the right moment to open a portal for the Chitauri, because it's not Odin's best interest she has in mind but that of the Other."

"Let them come. They cannot best our Einherjar forces." Frigga replied impatiently, but then she bit her lips, shook her head, and glanced at Raven again, this time with more sympathy. "I do appreciate your concern. I just don't see how to convince Odin given that even Heimdall isn't aware of any threat, and he would have noticed if anything is amiss with Jane Foster. Please understand that we cannot lock her away, based on your accusation alone."

"Oh, and I thought you were good at that." Raven mumbled pointedly before she shrugged and continued, "Well, you don't have to lock her away. Try cognitive recalibration instead."

The queen arched a quizzical brow at her.

"Well, um, hit her really hard on the head."

All about Frigga's mien and posture told her that she would most certainly not do that, but then she gestured Raven to be quiet as she listened attentively to the sounds in the corridor outside her chambers; heavy booted feet seemed to be approaching.

"Odin..." she whispered, and quickly ushered Raven towards the balcony. "He is not to find you here."

"I'm not too keen on meeting him again so soon, either." Nor was she keen on hiding in invisibility at the balcony- there were many other things how to while away her time in Asgard that came to her mind, and one in particular was of an almost pressing matter. She glanced at Frigga. "Tell me how to get to the dungeons."

The door to Frigga's chambers opened. Odin entered.

"Go. Now." Frigga urged her to leave before she turned around to greet her husband; the smile she flashed him was not completely honest, Raven noticed as she melted with the shadows and became invisible.

Although the queen hadn't told her hold to get to the dungeons, she had nevertheless given her the direction in form of a holographic image that popped up in front of her mind's eye; it was already gone the fraction of a moment later.

But Raven had seen enough. She now knew where she had to go, and Disapparated from the balcony with a smirk.

Things might not go as she had planned, but at least she had won sort of an ally in Frigga.

Odin glanced suspiciously at the open balcony door. He knew something was amiss- he wouldn't be King of Asgard if he couldn't sense that trace of magic in the air.

His wife hurried to close the door, still smiling at him as she wrapped herself a little tighter in the stole that covered her shoulders, shuddering ever so slightly. "It is a bit windy today, isn't it?"

-ooOoo-

The cell was neatly furnished in comparison to the others which were just bare stone filled with ordinary criminals, but he wasn't in the same league with them anyway. No matter what, he was still a prince of Asgard. His cell contained a bed with clean pillows, a chair, a small table. On that table was a carafe with water, a bowl with flowers and fruits, and a book- Frigga's efforts to make him feel more comfortable. How very thoughtful of her. Apparently, she had already come to terms with the fact that he would be locked away for eternity, and if Loki believed in the words of the Allfather, that was indeed his fate.

He had to fight the urge to pace his cell like a caged tiger, still aggravated after his meeting with Odin and all these senseless emotions it had brought up... in the end, all that remained was hatred.

Loki laid down on the bed, his hands crossed under his head, watching the ceiling. The bright light was annoying, but he didn't give in to restlessness. He didn't pace the cell like a desperate man; he refused to give the guards the pleasure to see him lose his countenance. No, he wasn't desperate. Quite the contrary, actually...

Loki was amused. He couldn't hide his smirk when he recalled his trial (what a farce!) in the throne room, and in his mind's eye he could still see Odin's face drop more and more with every word Raven had said as she stood up against him with all her passion and defiance. Now that had really made his day! No one had ever- well, he appreciated her effort although he doubted it would have a lasting effect on Odin.

After all, he was still imprisoned, still meant to rot in this cell...

Hours went by and nothing happened, except that Loki got bored staring at the ceiling. Confinement was decidedly not his favourite past time, and with too much time left to ponder the injustice of life, he soon came up with the conclusion that his misery was all Raven's fault. If she hadn't insisted, hadn't persuaded him to travel to Asgard, being totally aware of what would await him here, he wouldn't be locked away now.

He shouldn't have given in to her whims. He shouldn't have been that foolish to test fate by trusting her. Had he finally gotten what he deserved? Where was she now? Why didn't she come and spring him from jail, just like she'd done before? Had she given up on him and let him down just like everyone else?

They say, night gets darkest right before dawn, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Loki let out a bitter bark of laughter, mocking his silly hopes for a light that would never come. No one would come to save him. He was all on his own like he had always been. There were no options left for him...

All of a sudden, he noticed... _something_\- a certain flicker in the atmosphere outside his cell that came along with a strange humming sound of the energy barrier surrounding him. Loki sat up and turned his head.

He didn't spot her at first glance. She had appeared from out of nowhere, a slightly diffuse form with blurred edges; she was wearing the spell that made her unnoticeable, almost invisible, like a cloak.

Loki smiled as she made apologies, taking all the blame for his imprisonment on herself, and he listened patiently until she was done with her rant.

Now, that was definitely a first! Usually, people were putting all the blame on him when something went wrong and most of the time, they were right. He couldn't deny his liking of mischief, his fondness for trouble (as long as he wasn't at the receiving end of it).

Raven was upset that no one deigned to take her warning seriously enough to 'just fucking do something,' and Loki thought it wiser to not say, _I told you so from the beginning. _Of course, it was an absurd idea that a mortal woman could pose a threat to Asgard, and Raven was aware of that, but she also pointed out that a small group of mortals had managed to bring him down and end the Chitauri attack on New York.

_Ouch! Thank you for reminding me_\- He did not correct her by mentioning that a green rage monster was decidedly not what he considered to be an average mortal, but he got her point. Dear Jane was influenced by the Chitauri staff, and although that didn't turn her into a green beast, she might have developed powers no one had figured out yet.

Raven had mentioned her _understanding _of the Tesseract- well, that might be a gift from the Chitauri. Or she was simply such a brilliant scientist, but Loki doubted that.

Anyway, there was nothing they could do about it. Raven had warned the people of Asgard of the danger, just like she had planned. It wasn't her fault it fell on deaf ears. According to Loki, they were done here.

"Now, get me out of here! Let's steal a nice ship from Asgard's fleet, travel back to Earth, and have a drink with Tony."

"Sounds tempting. The Other will likely find you at Tony's bar once he's done with Asgard." Raven replied brusquely, rolling her eyes in annoyance before she quietly mumbled, "There has to be something... anything I can do..."

"Like murdering dear Jane in her sleep?" Loki offered in a smooth and casual tone.

"Yeah, your brother will love that, and thanks, I prefer to not get hammered by him!" She snapped, now sounding downright pissed off...

...and tired. Not only tired of all this, Loki noticed. The little witch was exhausted. Of course, she was just a mortal; she needed a rest before magic could drain her, and he- instead of exploiting her weakness and trying to manipulate her for his purpose, he grew soft. Damn!

"You look weary." He moved as close to the energy barrier separating him from her as he dared without triggering the alarm. His voice was soft, almost caring, but she didn't seem to care.

"I have to find a way to ambush Jane and knock the bloody Chitauri out of her head... perhaps, I should try to convince Frigga again- she's a smart person, your mother..." Raven ran frustrated fingers through her hair and heaved a sigh. "If only I could come up with a decent plan! I can't think clearly! And yeah, I am damned tired. Thanks for noticing."

"Come inside and take a rest in my cosy bed." Loki offered teasingly, once again flirting with her. He clearly wouldn't mind sharing his bed with her, and to his immense surprise, she actually lifted her hand in a feeble attempt to break though the energy shield, but failed to muster enough magical power. She dropped her hands in surrender.

He knew, though, that she could do it once she had taken a rest. Her powers were that strong and he wanted her to use them to his advantage. Her stupid idea had landed him in this cell, but she was also the key out of it. Loki couldn't risk her falling asleep anywhere in Asgard where it wasn't safe, least of all here in the dungeons. Therefore, he offered her a secure place to stay for the night. It was a place where Odin's henchmen wouldn't find her- they were probably still searching half of Asgard for her because she had dared to annoy their king, and Loki was still amused by her guts.

In the end, he could only benefit from her having a good night's sleep.

-ooOoo-

Although Loki had given her precise instructions, Raven almost Splinched herself when she broke through the wards- damn! She was tired and Apparition had drained her even more- nevertheless she managed to keep all of her limbs together and intact upon her arrival in this dark room. Then she stumbled against something hard, hitting her shin. She cursed quietly before she fumbled for her wand in order to shed some light on the obstacle, and had to muster almost every bit of energy left to cast a simply _Lumos _charm.

In the light that illuminated the tip of her wand, she saw a bed.

Wonderful. Exactly what she needed right now.

Trusting Loki, she let herself sink onto the mattress. With a sigh of delight, she closer her eyes. It had been a long, hard and crazy day? She had travelled all the way from New York to Norway, and from there via Jotunheim to Asgard, crossing time and space. She had met two queens and quarrelled with a king- whoa, she had every right to be dog tired...


	16. Chapter 16

Enjoy and review...

Chapter 16

Raven woke when a ray of sunshine tickled her nose. She rubbed it, but since that didn't help, she grudgingly opened her eyes- and immediately closed them again, groaning. The sun was shining straight into her face, blinding her. It took her a moment to realize she was decidedly not at home in her own bedroom, and when the realisation finally hit her, she sat up with a start.

Bloody hell! She was in Asgard! Far away from home.

How long had she slept? She couldn't tell since she had no idea if a day here was of the same length of time as it was on Earth. All she knew was that she had arrived in darkness, and now it was all bright and sunny again.

As her eyes grew accustomed to the light, she glanced around, taking in her surroundings. Raven knew she was in Loki's chambers. He wouldn't have sent her anywhere else.

So this was how a Prince of Asgard lived? It really wasn't as posh as she'd expected. Not too much gold and- well, actually, the room had a good, comfortable atmosphere. It was furnished in dark woods, and it was even a bit messy. There were piles of books, strange looking artefacts... but what surprised her most was the lack of dust, given that Loki had left his rooms more than a year ago and wasn't expected back.

She refrained from snooping around, holding her curiosity in check. It wasn't right to invade his privacy, and so she didn't even pick up the book lying open on his bedside table, which was probably the very same book he had read before things had gone very fucking wrong.

Instead, Raven got up from the bed and made her way to the balcony overlooking the city of Asgard with all its golden roofs and turrets. She could also see Heimdall's observatory from here- a golden globe with a spike that looked like a piked helmet nestled on a cliff, surrounded by whirling waters at the end of this world. Beyond it, there was only the vastness of space and enormous waterfalls creating colourful nebulas.

A long bridge with golden arches was leading to that dome in the far distance; at first glance, it seemed to be intact. At second glance, however, it wasn't glittering in rainbow colours all the way to the observatory. The glittering stopped shortly before the piked helmet arose.

And yet, the restoration of the Bifrost was almost complete. There was little time left to persuade the Asgardians they had to stop using the Tesseract in order to finish it.

Apparently, her warnings had fallen on deaf ears so far.

While mulling things over, trying to come up with a promising plan, Raven longed for a good cup of coffee to help her get over the lameness of her brain. She wished she could simply call Sev for support. Her husband was always so very resourceful; he'd know what to do-

On the other hand, she was trained to handle difficult situations. It was her job, and she was good at that. She didn't really need her husband's help... and yet, things would be so much easier if she could simply hear his voice now.

Feeling slightly frustrated, she rummaged through her bag and found her phone. Of course, she had no signal here since she was about a millions miles away from home, in another world, another galaxy...

Raven felt as if a great burden was lasting on her shoulders, and- in order to lift that weight- she decided she had to talk to Frigga again. After all, Loki trusted her. _If anyone will listen to you, she's the one,_ he had said, and she trusted him.

Fortunately, Raven had a good sense of direction. When she left Loki's room, cloaked in invisibility again, she easily found the right corridor leading to Frigga's chambers. But before she could knock and enter, she saw Thor approaching. Apparently, she wasn't the only one keen on paying the Queen of Asgard a visit this morning.

Now, that changed her plan. Her _audience_ with Frigga could wait if Thor's presence here meant dear Jane was all alone somewhere, without the protection of her thunder god lover, and it wasn't hard for her to trace back the way he had come from.

Meeting Jane could solve all the problems while sparing Raven any lengthy explanations, because all she had to do was to take her by surprise and give her a cognitive recalibration.

-ooOoo-

Frigga heaved a weary sigh. She had started the day with a holographic visit to Loki in the dungeons, but it didn't turn out well. Although she had done all she could to make him feel comfortable, he didn't really seem to appreciate her effort. It was a very unsatisfying conversation, in which he even denied the responsibility for the crimes he committed on Earth.

'_My actions_?' He made a sweeping gesture, and said in a mocking tone, '_I was merely giving truth to the lie I've been fed my entire life. That I was born to be a king'_

_'A king?' _Frigga arched a brow at him. '_A true king admits his faults.' _

_'Just like Odin does? Yes?'_

His refusal to show any sign of remorse made her sad. Had she truly failed so miserable in raising her sons?

_'Your father-'_

_**'HE'S NOT MY FATHER**_!'

His voice was dripping with venom; she was used to him being angry but his rejection seemed to have reached a totally new dimension. It shocked her and made her shrug in resignation as she came up with the conclusion, '_Then am I not your mother?'_

Loki hesitated for a moment before he coolly replied, _'You're not._"

Frigga's face fell. She tsked, but other than that she was at a loss. Did her love really mean so little to him? She was looking for clues, for anything that proved the witch was right with whatever little information she had given.

Loki shook his head, his lips pressed tightly together as he made a tentative step in her direction, reaching out for her.

_Oh Loki_, she thought. She wanted to take his hands and forgive him, wrap him in her arms... but you can't hug a holographic projection. Her fingers glided through his without touching him, and then she had to end her visit because the door to her chambers opened-

"Still see good in him, don't you? Why indulge him with gifts, your visits?" Thor asked. He had seen more than he should have given that Frigga wasn't allowed to visit Loki.

"Good morning, son." She smiled innocently as she turned around to face him, then she took his arm and led him a few steps away. "I think if you ask the guards, they will tell you I was never there."

There was nothing better in the world than the love a son had for his mother. Thor would not tattle. He wasn't pleased with her actions but he would not go to Odin and tell him about it.

However, he sounded worried when he said, "Mother, Loki is not the boy you once knew."

"Nor are you, but I loved you no less when your father banished you to Earth."

One son banished, the other one locked away in the dungeon- it was then that realisation finally hit her. She had failed. Her family, once her beacon of hope and happiness, it was no more. It was broken, torn apart by secrets and lies, and the divide was too great, too extensive, to ever be undone. There would never be any sort of reconciliation between Loki and Odin. There were wounds that ran too deep, they would never go away... and it wasn't just Loki's fault.

_'I asked him to be honest with you from the beginning. There should be no secrets in a family.'_

_'So why did he lie?'_

_'He kept the truth from you so that you would never feel different...'_

She had truly believed in that, had played along, had obeyed- because there was a purpose in everything Odin did. Apparently. But the price was too high. She had very nearly lost both of her sons, and it wasn't Odin who had brought them back. Two mortal women had accomplished that, a scientist and a witch. They couldn't have been more different. Just like her sons.

Frigga wouldn't go as far as to say the mortal witch had opened her eyes, but she could see more clearly now. And she had to make a decision...

"Mother," Thor interrupted her train of thoughts, "you did not call me to discuss Loki, did you?"

"No, son.." She smiled at him although it pained her to hear the resentment in his voice when he spoke his brother's name, and she knew if she broached what was troubling her, he would surely suspect Loki to be responsible for it. Nevertheless, she couldn't ignore the witch's warning. She just had to be careful or otherwise Thor would jump to conclusions; he was always so very rash.

Especially when it came to protecting Jane Foster.

He answered her question about her well-being in a good-natured way, almost showing off a little with her bright intellect and her understanding of the Tesseract that pleased Odin so much he had come to accept her.

Frigga knew all that. She had witnessed the scene Odin made when Thor brought that mortal woman to Asgard, and it was only when he learned it was all Loki's doing that he calmed down. Of course, it was also supportive to their relationship that Jane was just as keen to restore the powers of the Bifrost as Odin was.

But had she changed ever since she came to Asgard? Had it affected her in any way? Was she any different now? Frigga had to ask; she needed to find out because the words of the witch were still ringing in her ears.

"Jane has been taken to Asgard against her will. It was like an abduction; she had to leave friends and family behind without the chance to say goodbye. So yes, of course that affected her. Things like that don't leave you unscathed. But she's strong. She copes well with the situation." Thor explained, then he paused and furrowed his brows in suspicion. "What has Loki done to her?"

_Jumping to conclusions again_. Frigga sighed softly. Although she couldn't deny Loki's involvement, she wanted to believe the witch since her words took some of the blame off his shoulders. She loved both of her sons.

"This is not about Loki." She said. It was a lie.

"Mother, Loki is a very talented liar. Don't let him manipulate you. He will always come up with excuses for his imagined slights."

_Imagined_? Frigga arched a brow at Thor, the picture of a whale stranded in the desert in her mind. "You worry about my good judgement, son?"

Thor shook his head no and silently reached out to take her hands in his, just like Loki had done earlier on. But his hands were real. They were big, rough and calloused. Like Odin's.

"You know, you and your father cast large shadows." She said softly.

His mien told her that he didn't grasp what she was alluding to. Thor was a good son, a good man, and one day, he would be a good king. Asgard loved him.

Thor was also a good brother, even though he barely recognized Loki anymore and expected the worst of him. It was understandable given their recent fights, but when Frigga recalled all the times they fought before, she wondered if he had ever truly known his little brother back then.

Things would never be like they used to be. Thor had tried hard, had meant well, had failed. He would always fail as long as he didn't find the right words to get through to Loki... so far only the witch seemed to have managed that. Probably, because she saw everything from a another perspective, a different angle.

"Is it about what the witch said at court?" Thor asked at long last, flashing his mother a glance full of concern. "Mother, you cannot trust her words. She is Loki's ally. He must have influenced her.'

An amused snort escaped Frigga's lips. It was highly unlikely that someone with the guts to oppose Odin in such a bold and daring way was just a stooge following Loki's instructions. No, the witch had her own moral compass. She might not be what you usually called a good person, someone who would sacrifice herself for the greater good, but she was definitely not a pawn in Loki's hidden agenda; she was no tool.

Thor even confirmed her notion when he told her about the first time he had met the witch, Raven Snape. She had been an agent working for an organisation that seemed to be close to S.H.I.E.L.D, asking questions about Loki. Then she had used that knowledge to spring him from S.H.I.E.L.D's custody- a fact that had allowed Loki to fool him and send Jane to Asgard in his stead.

Frigga was glad she had ordered tea, so she could hide her amused smile by taking a sip. Yes, that was so typically Loki! He would never match Thor in strength but he'd always beat him in tricks. On the other hand- and now a frown clouded her lovely features- she wondered why the witch had rescued Loki if he had been in good hands with these S.H.I.E.L.D agents, like Thor claimed.

There was still a lot at dark, and yet her gut feeling told her to trust in the witch's story.

Frigga drank her tea, encouraged Thor to do the same, and changed the topic of their conversation as she engaged him in small talk.

-ooOoo-

Raven glanced at the closed door to Frigga's room for a moment longer, debating whether to stay and eavesdrop or go looking for Jane Foster. She chose the latter because it was the most sensible thing to do. After all, Jane was without protection now that Thor was meeting with his mother. It might spare Asgard a lot of trouble if she could simply ambush her and knock the alien influencing her out of her head...

She was lucky. Mere moments after Thor entered Frigga chambers, Raven spotted Jane, clad in Asgardian fashion, leaving a room. She came heading her direction.

Raven stepped out of the shadows with a friendly smile on her face.

"Hello, Jane."

Jane Foster stopped to shot her a puzzled glance. Then she said. "Oh, hello, Agent Snape. What a nice surprise. How is your investigation going?"

"It's going fine." Raven replied, still smiling. She had to act all nice, trustworthy and unobtrusive now. "How d'ya do?"

Jane beamed at her and babbled some totally incomprehensible astrophysical stuff that could have been a summary of her work in Asgard. Her eyes weresoft and brown and totally untainted with any treacherous traces of Tesseract-blue, but Raven knew what she had seen in Central Park. She _knew_ Jane Foster was possessed by a weird alien force, and there was only one way to find a clue and prove her assumptions were right.

Raven locked eyes with Jane and whispered softly, '_Legilimens_.'

She pried into the other woman's mind. It was easy. Only a few Muggles knew how to occlude their thoughts and memories, and Jane was none of them. She was like an open book to Raven, albeit an astrophysicist's book.

Raven rummaged through layers of memories. Most of them were irrelevant, unimportant. The typical hopes, dreams and worries of a Muggle woman. Raven wasn't interested in that. She wanted to find something else, something entirely different.

She had to dig a little deeper, had to push past these memories. Now, it wasn't that easy anymore. Jane moaned as if in pain, but Raven continued to push further than she had ever dared to go before in any interrogation. Now, Raven was using Legilimency as a weapon to finally find the truth.

She shouldn't go this way. It wasn't right. It was like a mind rape, only that she wasn't interested in Jane's mind. She was challenging... _something... _she could sense _It_ ...

And then, all of a sudden, she broke through the barrier erected by someone/something much stronger than Jane Forster- or, perhaps, the _being _had just allowed her in.

She wasn't in Jane's mind anymore. All memories of the smart, young astrophysicist, all her hopes and dreams and worries were gone, replaced by a presence that reeked of darkness, hunger and need. The Creature beckoned her to take a step closer...

… and Raven was on a barren moon at the most forlorn, far end of the galaxy. It was dark, except for a faint bluish glow that illuminated some rocks, and she knew she had seen this place before- although it was unlikely she had ever visited- but when she spotted that giant worm or snake slithering between the rocks, disappearing in the shadows, she recalled a vision she had seen in Loki's mind.

That should have alerted her. But she had already gone too far to back away now, and she just had to know for sure. It wasn't curiosity that drove her; it was the need for certainty.

She turned around and caught glimpse of a hooded figure, now standing right in front of her, showing its ugly face. It looked Chitauri to her, reptile-like, and yet it was different. There was a cool, calculating intelligence in its dark eyes.

A pale, six-fingered hand lashed out- instinctively, she ducked.

Jane Foster laughed maliciously as her fingers clawed around Raven's throat. She was much stronger than you would have expected of such a petite woman. Her eyes were shining Tesseract-blue.

She tightened her grip. Raven tried to fight her but Jane lifted her up with ease and sent her crashing into the nearest wall.

_Cushioning Charm! Now!_

Fortunately, her magic worked wandlessly in Asgard, otherwise the impact would have shattered her spine. Nevertheless, the attack knocked the wind out of her and left her hurting and bleeding on the floor.

Jane switched from aggressor to damsel-in-distress. She started screaming for help.

Before Raven could even begin to gather her thoughts, four armed warriors arrived, eager to protect the prince's bride. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif.

Or- what Loki called them- the Idiots Four.

"Loki's whore tried to kill me!" Jane cried.

The Warriors Three and Lady Sif produced their weapons.

_Fuck!_ Raven cursed quietly. She doubted they would listen if she explained the situation, especially since Jane's eyes were back to normal again- soft and brown like a doe's. She was also well aware of the fact that she couldn't possibly beat any of them in a fight, much less all of them. She was not a warrior...

She had to disappear. Quickly!

A fraction of a second later, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif stared dumbfounded at the empty space where the witch had just stood. She was gone.

They lowered their weapons, shook their heads in confusion, and glanced at Jane.

Dashing Fandral asked, "Are you alright, Lady Jane?"

"Yes..." she sobbed, wiping a tear off her cheek. Jane gave the impression she was really shaken by the incident. "…if you hadn't arrived just in time... she would have killed me..."

They tried to comfort her and suggested to fetch Thor (well, Volstagg suggested they'd have a second breakfast) but Jane wouldn't have any of that.

"You have to go and find the witch. She's a threat to all that's good in Asgard." She took a deep breath and straightened her back with determination. "I will continue my work with the Tesseract."

The Warriors Three and Lady Sif agreed that Jane was a very brave Mortal woman if she could actually focus on helping to repair Bifrost after she had scarcely escaped death, but she said that work would help her to get over and forget the mean attack, and besides- wasn't that just what the witch had intended? To stop her from working?

"No," she decided. "I have to continue. For the good of Asgard!"

Raven rolled her eyes as the Idiots Four praised Jane's bravery and the loyalty she pledged to Asgard. What a great show! And they were so utterly clueless...

She had become invisible but she hadn't disappeared just as soon. When the Warriors Three and Lady Sif had lowered their weapons to fuss over Jane, she had decided to stay a little longer since she wasn't in immediate danger any more.

To be fair, it was probably not the real Jane who acted like she did. It was that ugly, six-fingered creature in her mind. It compromised her, and it controlled her in such a clever way that nobody noticed it.

She had to stop it- him- the Other. Although the creature hadn't introduced himself properly to Raven, she knew for sure that he must be the Über-Chitauri Loki had mentioned, the one who made him suffer and gave him the creeps...

A little later, Raven materialized outside the palace at an open place that was near the Bifrost. Still protected by invisibility, she moved a little closer to have a better look at the scene. She could see now that there was a strange construction containing the Tesseract, although it seemed to be floating in midair, emitting a faint blueish glow. Asgardian scientist were hustling to and fro, checking glimmering data on transparent sheets.

If only she could grab the Tesseract and run! She was so close to it and Jane was nowhere in sight. But Jane was not the problem, the Einherjar were. Unsurprisingly, the site was teeming with Asgard's elite soldiers guarding the Tesseract, and unless they all dropped unconsciously to the ground all of a sudden- unlikely-there was absolutely no chance for Raven to get any closer to the Tesseract than she was now.

And she noticed another dilemma. Although her notice-me-not spell was much stronger and more efficient here than it was on Earth, it was far from being flawless. True, it granted her invisibility as if she was wearing an Invisibility Cloak-but they weren't flawless either (well, except if you were Harry Potter and owned one of the Deathly Hallows).

In the bright sunlight outside the palace, her otherwise invisible form cast very visible shadows.

Raven cursed under her breath and hurried to get out of the sunlight, fleeing it like a vampire. She couldn't risk anyone noticing her shadow. People would stare and start to whisper, and then someone might recall talk about a witch who stood up in court yesterday, offending Odin by defending Loki...

_Damn_! She heaved a frustrated sigh. If only she could talk to Frigga again! But she didn't dare to roam the castle in search of her- after all, the Idiots Four might have been clever enough to take precautions.

Raven headed for the dungeons instead. Before she _Disapparated_, she caught a glimpse of Jane approaching from the palace, ready to take up work with the Tesseract again. Lady Sif and the grim Hogun were accompanying her, guarding every step she made.

There was nothing Raven could do to stop them.

Not a single ray of sunshine would ever penetrate the massive walls of the dungeons, and in its dimly lit corridors Raven cast no shadows. But that was not the only reason why she had chosen to come here.

Raven recalled a scene at the cliffs, the previous day. _Was it really only yesterday? It seemed to be an eternity ago... _but then again, probably that was just because she was already so thoroughly fed up with Asgard and all the things that went wrong ever since she arrived here.

Yesterday, at the cliffs, Loki had conjured up a vision, a holographic projection, of Frigga and he had been able to communicate with her. Perhaps, he could do that again or- at least- show her how to do it.

"I need your help." She stated unceremoniously as she approached his cell.

"Good morning to you, too, little witch." He looked up from the book he pretended to read and arched a quizzical brow at her. Then he noticed the bruises from her encounter with Jane/ the Other. "Oh, I see you made new friends."

Raven lifted her hand to touch the cut above her eyebrow. There was blood on her fingers, but she shrugged it off.

"So, who did you annoy now?"

"Jane Foster."

"Dear little Jane did this to you?" Loki put away the book and got to his feet; he seemed to be amused. "A cat fight? I would have loved to see-"

"I challenged her to reveal who is in control of her mind." Raven cut him off. "It worked. It wasn't easy, but at long last he showed up, lurking in the deepest, darkest corner of her mind. The Other."

"You challenged _**him**_? Are you completely insane?" He wasn't amused anymore, but if he worried about her reckless behaviour, it didn't show in his face.

"I had to find out, had to know for sure! Damn, I'm tilting at fucking windmills here! No one is fucking willing to believe me, and now I know for fucking sure that a freaking weird Chitauri is waiting for his chance to come and wreak havoc upon Asgard. But nobody here notices anything. They wallow in ignorance and the arrogant belief that Asgard is indestructible, while they consider me a greater threat than Jane, only because I speak the fucking truth!"

"You're in Asgard for how long? One day? And yet you already managed to piss everyone off and unite the whole realm against you- I'm impressed. It took me more than a thousand years to accomplish that."

"Don't be such an arse, Loki!" Raven rolled her eyes and heaved an exasperated sigh before she continued. "Merlin, I'm so fed up with you Asgardians! I'm so sick of this witch hunt; I'm sick of your incapability to heed a well-meant warning! And I'm sick of having to stomach all this fucking shit without a decent cup of coffee!"

Loki chuckled; he couldn't help it. He liked her fierceness, her passion, and he briefly reflected on how satisfying it would be to bed her. But he held his tongue. She was still fuming, and although she looked ravishing when she was so full of emotions, this was not the right time to press the matter.

"Get me out of here," he whispered in a low, seductive tone, "and I'll take you back to Midgard."

"Yeah, great idea! Let's escape and ignore the fucking problem because it's so much easier to run than facing it." She bit her lips and shook her head before she glanced at him again. "Don't worry, I won't let you rot in here. I'll spring you from this cell."

Loki regarded her with an expectant smile on his lips and a gesture of his hands that seemed to say, _what are you waiting for?_

After a long moment of inaction on her side, he grew slightly impatient. "Why your hesitation? Don't you trust me anymore?"

There was mild mockery in his tone.

"You told me I'd be a fool to trust you," Raven replied with a sigh. "But no, that's not the point. I know you won't betray me..."

"Ah, and what gives you that idea?"

"Well, you wouldn't get what you want if you did."

"That sounds smart and it adheres a certain logic."

"Yeah, I'm good at that. At least sometimes." She fell silent for a moment, knowing she had to come up with a decent escape plan. Out of habit, she reached for her wand in order to probe the magical barrier-

"Oh come on, you don't really need that silly stick of wood!"

Raven felt tempted to stuff _that silly stick of wood_ down his throat. She snapped, "Do you have a better idea?"

"Raise your hands. Feel the magic. Feel the energy."

Although she flashed him an annoyed glance, she followed his advice and stowed her wand away. And indeed, she soon could feel the energy of the barrier tingling in her fingertips like a pulse. It was strong, but not impenetrable. She just had to find its weak spot and push a little harder-

"What about the guards?"

Loki groaned in frustration when she dropped her hands. "Don't worry about them. Carry on."

"Won't they notice someone's messing with the barrier?" She asked, ignoring his testiness. Of course, he longed to be set free. The barrier worked almost like that damnable magic-repressing collar Thor had put around his throat the day he had left him at the mercy of S.H.I.E.L.D and gone to have shawarma with his new best friends. But, to be fair, the cell wouldn't kill Loki. It merely kept his powers in check. He could still perform some basic tricks.

"They won't." Loki assured her, now in a persuading purr. "Go on, little witch, I know you can do it."

Perhaps, it wasn't even a lie. Raven had already spent a considerable amount of time in the dungeons, visiting Loki, and not once had she seen any guard. It was possible they whiled away their shift playing cards and drinking mead, because no prisoner had ever managed to escape the dungeons of Asgard.

Well, probably that was just because no mortal witch had ever tried to free one.

That very idea spurred her ambition to give it another try and succeed. Once more, Raven raised her hands to let the magic seep through her fingertips.

Loki smirked as he mimicked her movements until his own hands were on par with hers. Although his magic was restrained, it wasn't totally blocked. He could still ignite a spark...

His was glowing in a greenish-golden light. Hers looked pale pink at first. Then it became more intense and turned fuchsia, changed to purple and finally switched to a dark turquoise as their magical energies connected, forming bridges of light.

It was beautiful.

Raven held her breath for a moment and gasped. The feeling wasn't unpleasant- quite the contrary, actually. It was almost sensual, like a lover's touch, and it sent shivers down her spine... her whole body seemed to tickle with their magical connection...

_Damn! _She was about to loose focus, wondering if he felt the same. That moment, their combined magical powers tore a cut in the barrier and Loki stepped out of the cell with a smug smile on his face. Now, that answered her question.

"Well done, little witch. You are quite useful for a mortal."

"You're welcome. I accept your gratitude."

"You think I have to be grateful? Think again, darling. You owed me that. After all, it was your foolishness that landed me in this cell.."

"My foolishness? Really?" Raven snorted. The sensual sensation had long dissolved in a puff of smoke, and she was glaring daggers at him. Well, she hadn't expected him to sink to his knees and thank her for freeing him, but she wouldn't take the blame for his stay in the dungeons either. "Is it really that foolish I wanted to warn Asgard of a threat?"

"Did they thank you? Did they even listen?" Loki lifted his hand and touched her face, his fingers trailing down the trace of blood the cut at her eyebrow had caused. "Did they punish Jane for that?"

Raven bit her lips. The answers to his questions were obvious; he didn't have to mock her by glancing around to see if Jane Foster was in any of the other cells.

"No." She snapped. "That's why I have to talk to Frigga again-"

"And that will change what?" Loki rolled his eyes before he took her arm and dragged her along with him, down a dark corridor that was only sporadically lit by flickering torches. "Foolish witch! We have to leave, now, before my departure triggers an alarm-"

Raven stopped so abruptly he bumped into her.

"You said the guards wouldn't notice!"

"Surprise! I lied."

"Great! Now, who's the foolish one of us? You withheld valuable information!"

"No, I just- _damn."_ Loki pressed a hand over her mouth and shoved her deeper into the shadows, shielding her with his body.

Raven considered ramming her knee into his crotch because she thought this was just another of his ill-advised advances. But then she could hear it, too. The sound of stomping boots on concrete floor. Soldiers!

She decided to hold her breath for a moment.

_Did they already know about Loki's escape? Were they clever enough to assume she was in the dungeons with him? After all, they believed she had attacked their beloved prince's bride..._

A squad of Einherjar rushed past them and disappeared in the darkness of the corridor without noticing them.

Raven released the breath she was holding, then she elbowed Loki. There was no reason for him to be that close to her, and besides, a brief warning would have done to alert her of the danger. Still, he didn't move, didn't let go off her. She flashed him an annoyed glance, which was met by green eyes sparkling with mischief and mirth.

"Shh, we have to be careful," he whispered, amused by her annoyance.

"They're gone. We have to get out of here. I have to talk to Frigga again," she hissed impatiently.

"Still so full of trust." Loki chuckled tauntingly as he reached out to tuck an unruly strand of hair, that had come lose from her ponytail, behind her ear. It was an almost gentle gesture, so unusual for him. But soon, the mockery was back in his voice, although he made it sound like a tempting purr. "Tell me, little witch, for I'm curious- what is it you think I want, the one thing that will keep me from betraying you?"

"You mean, apart from sanity, reason and that sharp wit I'm willing to attest you?" Raven replied in a teasing tone, smiling sweetly at him. "Well, a kiss, of course."

"Oh!"Loki laughed at that. "You must think you're truly irresistible-"

"No," she cut him off with a sophisticated smile curling up her lips. "_You_ think I am- otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation now."

"Stop being silly." He said, but then he had to grin because there was a grain of truth in her cocky speculation, and he had to admit (albeit only to himself) that he liked her. Not in a foolishly romantic kind of way, but he would decidedly not toss her out of his bed either.

Before Loki could say anything else, there was a loud bang that seemed to come from outside the dungeons. It was strong enough to make the ground tremble beneath their feet. An instant later, sirens started wailing.

Raven knew immediately that that had nothing to do with his escape. Something had happened, something much worse than just a prison break.

She glanced at him. Loki stood as rigid as if frozen, listening to the sounds in the distance.

His eye were wide; a hint of long forgotten fear flickered up in them as he faced the truth, the dark foreboding that came with the siren's wail, the sound of inevitability...

_...there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice..._

He wasn't shocked, wasn't scared. He just hated that creepy feeling gnawing at him from the inside.

"I guess it's too late to talk to Frigga now." Raven deadpanned.

-ooOoo-

The Creature watched the scene unfold. All was perfect. Its minion worked well. The Tesseract emitted a faint, bluish light, and the Asgardians were still utterly clueless.

The Creature would have laughed at that, had It known mirth or amusement. But It didn't. All It knew was malice, the beauty of war, destruction and devastation. It yearned for those things; they nourished It.

The Creature watched the Tesseract glowing brighter. It knew, Its time was about to come. It just had to be patient for a little longer

The spectators of the show cheered when the little mortal twit restored their precious Bifrost. The observatory at the end of the bridge shone in a golden light, and nobody noticed that the Tesseract was spiking again.

_**She**__ wanted to show them something. A brand new world... _

The guardian, the one who could allegedly see all, stared at Jane Foster.

The Creature could feel his golden eyes probing her, trying to _see._ And then he saw Its magnificence.

He cried a warning before he ran to start Asgard's defence mechanism, but it was already too late for that.

The Creature knew _they_ were close; It could already sense _them,_ waiting, ready to attack... _they_ were coming...

The Tesseract hadn't completed its purpose yet. It was still active, still spiking, and it now emitted an almost blinding bust of light that soon mingled with the golden energy of the Bifrost. Their combined powers lit up the skies above Asgard brighter than sunshine, whiter than white. Together, they created something new, something powerful and beautiful.

A portal.

And then, all the light went dark as the skies clouded with an armada of Chitauri spacecrafts, coming from the far end of space.

Feeling victorious, the Creature enjoyed the moment the Asgardians became aware of their failure, their helplessness, and he nourished from the panic in their eyes, their minds, before he finally gave orders to launch the attack.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

_The Creature smiled at the magnificence of the chaos It had caused. All over the place, people were running, screaming. All around Its hidden, incorporeal form, people were dying, killed by Its Chitauri._

The guardian, the one who could allegedly see all but had been unable to see the Creature, was still busy with arranging Asgard's defence mechanism. A golden light flickered up in a translucent ring all around the palace, rising higher and higher. But then it collapsed before it could take on its dome shaped form.

A group of Chitauri had overpowered Heimdall. He sank to the ground while one of the Chitauri raised its weapon in a victorious gesture and screeched in a voice no one in Asgard had ever heard.

"Jane!"

She stood motionless in the glow of the Tesseract, bathing in its beauty, while staring without seeing at the portal she had created. A wild mixture of emotions reflected in her eyes; awe, shock and ignorance were battling for dominance, but none of these feelings seemed to matter.

Her hand reached out for the Tesseract-

"Jane! Are you alright?"

Thor was at her side and folded her protectively in his strong arms, shielding her with his body from the mayhem all around them.

"I'm fine," she smiled absent-mindedly, her eyes shining Tesseract-blue.

_The Creature groaned in frustration. It had been so close... _

_But now it was time to retreat from Its host and return to Its true form._

Jane closed her eyes, fainting.

Thor was pondering what to do. He was holding the unconscious form of his beloved bride in his arms, and of course he wanted to protect her and keep her safe. On the other hand, he had once sworn an oath that he would guard Asgard and the other realms of Yggdrasil...

He glanced in the direction of Heimdall's observatory, searching for his friend. His golden armour, all strong and unwavering, would have given him hope that things were not as bad as they seemed. Alas, he couldn't spot Heimdall because the observatory was teeming with Chitauri.

Meanwhile, Frigga watched the disaster unfold from the safe distance of her chambers, knowing all too well that it wouldn't stop at her threshold.

She had decided to not join the others at the ceremony this morning, bearing the witch's warning in mind. And she had been right; the witch hadn't lied to her.

Frigga grabbed her sword and left her chambers.

Loki and Raven emerged from the dungeons and stopped in shock at the scene that greeted them.

The streets of Asgard had become a battlefield; the sky was dark with swarms of alien chariots. People were running, screaming, fighting. Mothers tried to protect their children. The Einherjar tried to defend the realm, but they were outnumbered and clearly taken by surprise. There was no order in their defence, and their swords and shields looked ridiculously out of date in comparison to the Chitauri weapons, firing blasts of energy.

The Chitauri meant to kill and destroy. They shot at everything, everyone. Their attack was just as unorganized as the Asgardians defence was.

It took a while until the first Asgardians skiffs, armed with more effective weapons than blades, were up in the air. That didn't make the Asgardians victorious, though.

The cloud of Chitauri chariots lightened a little, but only to reveal the massive, worm-like shapes of about a dozen Leviathans.

Raven cursed loudly. Although she had come to Asgard because she had expected an attack, she was surprised by the sheer amount of Chitauri.

"Bloody hell! I thought Tony had destroyed their mothership in a nuclear blast- why are there still so many of them?"

"The Chitauri reproduce fast. What you see are not the survivors of New York but freshly hatched new ones," Loki explained.

"Not sure I want to imagine the act..."

"The way they reproduce has nothing to do with sex." He chuckled briefly, then his mien darkened and he nudged her to move on. "Anyway, they're causing enough chaos for us to escape unseen."

"What?" Raven stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face Loki with a frown of disbelief. "You want to leave now? Think again! All around us, people are dying! We have to stay and help."

While talking, she grabbed the arm of a little boy and dragged him out of firing line. The child smiled at her and ran away.

"To what point and purpose?" Loki asked as he whirled around to graciously knock out an Einherjar soldier on witch hunt. "They don't want your help. They want to kill the witch."

Raven brandished her wand. "I know, they're idiots. But that's no reason to run-"

"And I see no reason to fight!"

She glanced at him. Sometimes, he was so very easy to figure out. Of course, he was reluctant to fight for the ones who had sent him to rot in dungeons, who had mocked him his entire life, and probably he thought he'd been hurt for too long.

"So, you're not gonna fight 'cause none of them would fight for you? What about Frigga?"

His face fell as if she'd slapped him; in any case she had hit a sore point.

Raven smiled knowingly. She muttered an incantation that caused a small flash of white light at the tip of her wand, which she was now holding like a light sabre from the Star Wars films.

"And there is yet another reason to fight."

Loki tried to not get distracted by the bad-ass expression on her face as he arched a quizzical brow at her. "Tell me."

"Well, what about the fun of kicking some fucking Chitauri arses?"

He grinned in spite of remembering his ordeal in Chitauri space. She was right. It was payback time.

Thor hustled to get Jane out of the line of fine. He knew, he should have stayed at the battlefield, protecting Asgard, but the woman he loved was unconscious in his arms, and he had to get her to the healing rooms first, before he could even think about doing anything else.

The Chitauri, however, weren't letting him escape with Jane. They grabbed for her as if they wanted to snatch her from his arms. But Thor would not allow that to happen. He swung his mighty hammer Mjolnir and eased his way through the rows of attackers by smashing them aside.

Two Einherjar soldiers accompanied him on his way to the palace, but they were pretty useless in their poor attempts to protect their prince.

Nonetheless, they alerted him of another danger when they, all of a sudden, encountered Loki and his ally, the witch.

To Thor's surprise, they were both fighting the enemy, the Chitauri. Since he didn't quite grasp that, he raised his hammer... but then he hesitated to use it against Loki- who turned around to greet him with a smug smile.

"Hello, _brother."_

That moment, the building nearby was hit by the tail of a hurt and dying Leviathan. The ground was shaking as it went down, taking the building with it in a rain of bricks and wreckage.

Raven was the first to move after the house had collapsed upon them. She sat up with a groan, rubbing her temples as she recalled what had happened. Although she couldn't remember having cast a spell, she knew her magic must have protected her from being buried under tons of dust and stones, the remains of the house.

She fumbled for her wand but couldn't find it. Feeling slightly irritated about that, she brusquely brushed away some of the debris covering her body; then she glanced around, looking for Loki. She spotted neither him, nor Thor.

Before she could call Loki's name, Jane rose from the wreckage, apparently unharmed except for the fact that her eyes were shining Tesseract-blue.

The collapse of the house had not given her the desired cognitive recalibration; Jane was still possessed by an alien force. She approached Raven with a malicious smile on her face, casting aside chunks of stone that should have been too heavy for such a petite Muggle woman.

Raven continued fumbling for her wand. The Other-Jane wanted to kill her for knowing Its secret, and Raven was not in the mood to die today. Not here, not now, and most certainly not at the hands of a Muggle possessed by a freaking alien.

"You will not stop me." Jane said in a venomous voice that wasn't her own. She reached out to grab Raven by the throat.

_'Oh come on, you don't really need that silly stick of wood!', _Raven recalled Loki's words. She raised her hands in a defensive gesture- Jane laughed at that; it was an evil, cackling sound, but she didn't laugh anymore when a blast of energy shot from Raven's fingertips and hit her straight in the chest. Jane stumbled backwards and fell.

Raven had to hurry now. While searching for her wand, she had come across a shield one of the Einherjar must have lost when the house collapsed. She picked it up.

Although her spell should have knocked out any Muggle, Jane was already back up on her feet, driven by the Other's supernatural powers. But before Jane could attack again, Raven beat her to it. She struck out at her with the shield of the dead soldier, and hit her really hard in the head.

"Noooo!" Thor cried out.

There was nothing he could do. Jane tumbled, bleeding from a bruise at her temple. Then she sank to the ground.

Thor caught her and gathered her in his arms before he turned his head to glare accusingly at Raven.

"What have you done to her?"

"I-" _Would it make sense to point out that Jane's eyes had turned from Tesseract-blue back to their normal, soft brown colour when she knocked her out? Would he even listen? _Raven didn't like the way his hand tightened around the handle of his hammer as if he was about to ram her into the ground with it.

"Raven merely gave your beloved mortal a cognitive recalibration." Loki said in a casual tone as he appeared next to her and flashed her a wry smile. She was glad to see that he seemed to be unharmed.

"I don't understand," Thor admitted with furrowed brows, staring at his wayward brother. He shook his head in confusion.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Loki heaved a sigh, then he said. "Take dear Jane to the healing room. She will be alright once she awakens- well, she might suffer from a little headache afterwards."

It was plain to see that Thor didn't trust him. "You hurt her so that I would have to take her to the healing room and let you escape?"

Loki smirked, which was probably not the best way to make himself appear more trustworthy.

"No." Raven cut in. Nothing had changed since the house collapsed upon them. The battle was still raging, people were still dying- there was no time for taunts. "_I_ knocked that fucking Über-Chitauri out of her head because he controlled her actions and made her open that fucking portal so that his fucking Chitauri could come and invade Asgard. We're going to stop him." She picked up a Chitauri gun from the debris, and shouldered it to underline her words. "You take Jane to the healing room. Then you return to help us."

"You might want to fly. It's faster." Loki suggested, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he took in the confused expression on Thor's face.

"It wasn't you who brought this upon us?"

"His keen perception is amazing, isn't it?" Loki murmured to Raven, who nudged him. That, however, didn't stop him from adding. "I should feel flattered that he thinks so highly of me."

"I still don't trust you!" Thor said.

Loki chuckled. "You'd be a fool to trust me."

"The Chitauri were your allies- give me a good reason why I should believe you aren't colluding with them anymore."

Loki could have listed many reasons, but he didn't want to tell Thor any of them. Instead, he wrapped one arm around Raven's shoulder and said, "I found a better ally."

Raven rolled her eyes as she freed herself from Loki's possessive grip. "Oh, stop that! Can we please focus on more pressing matters at hand? For instance, fighting the Chitauri?"

She saw a group of them approaching and decided to try out the gun she had picked up. It was still working, she noticed with satisfaction when two Chitauri dropped dead. And although she had no affinity for guns- after all, she was a witch- there were times they were more effective than waving a wand and muttering spells, especially when the number of enemies was far more than she could handle without exhausting her magical powers.

Thor glanced at her. Apparently, her action had done more to win his trust than Loki's behaviour, but that wasn't really a surprise.

He turned to face Loki. "You should know that when we fought each other in the past, I did so with a glimmer of hope that my brother was still in there somewhere. That hope no longer exists. If you betray Asgard today, I will kill you."

"I promise, there will be no betrayal today." Raven replied quickly before Loki could say anything foolish. She looked Thor in the eye, unwavering, determined... and stubborn. "Mind, this is not a pledge of loyalty to Asgard. I just want this madness to end!"

"So do I." Thor nodded thoughtfully, then he whirled his hammer and rocketed to the skies with Jane in his arms, taking her to the healing room.

Raven released the breath she hadn't been aware of holding until now; she hadn't expected Thor to leave them- or, to be more precise, Loki- unguarded. However, his departure didn't mean he trusted them. He merely wanted to know Jane safe. He would be back soon, and he wouldn't hesitate to swing his hammer at them if he didn't see them fighting the Chitauri then.

She whispered, 'Accio wand', and her wand came flying from somewhere beneath the debris into her hand. With a grim smile she stowed it away, levelled the Chitauri gun, and glanced at Loki. She was ready for action.

Loki smirked; there was a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.

Raven was no warrior, but she could stand her ground in a fight if necessary. She had been at a battlefield before. The battle of Hogwarts, however, paled in comparison to the madness she witnessed today, this total disorder of screaming civilians, unorganized Einherjar forces and masses of Chitauri that were on a mindless killing spree. They didn't care if they slaughtered soldiers, women or children.

Unlike the Death Eaters, the Chitauri had no course, no reason- nothing they believed in. They were bred for battle, born to kill. There was probably more honour amongst Death Eaters, no matter how sick their ideology had been.

The skies above Asgard were dark with clouds of doom, dimming all the light of the golden city until it turned a murky grey. Blood flooded the streets, littered with dead bodies, and the shadows were abound with Chitauri.

Lightning was all around them. The pale blue fire from the Chitauri guns, brighter shots of lights from the Asgardian skiffs- and then, all of a sudden, there was a blinding white light of hope that seemed to tear the dark clouds for a moment.

Thor Odinson had returned to the battlefield, and his presence brought order to the chaos of Asgard's defence.

But there were still too many Chitauri...

Time began to blur. Raven felt as if she had been wading through rivers of blood for hours, and she had lost count of how many Chitauri she had already killed. The expression on her face was grim. She didn't enjoy this slaughter. She closed her eyes to the dead and her ears to the horrible screams of the wounded.

All through the battle, Loki stayed close to her, watching her back. He fought with so much more grace and physical exertion than Raven, whirling like a dervish, wielding daggers as he hit and kicked and tricked- while she simply fired her gun.

But it weren't just the Chitauri they had to fight. Some of the Einherjar seemed to think that Loki and Raven were foes of Asgard, and it was only after Thor's return to the battlefield when that madness ceased at last.

Lady Sif shot an almost frustrated glance at Loki before she turned and ran to follow her fellows, the Warriors Three, to join Thor. She didn't seem to be Loki's biggest fan.

Raven lowered her gun and ran weary fingers through her hair. There were still too many Chitauri. For every single one she shot, at least three more seemed to appear. They couldn't win the battle if they focussed on killing them one by one.

She was no warrior. And, most definitely, she was no superhero, either. She had to stop acting as if she'd been asked to join the Avengers, because it was plain to see that she couldn't save anyone- let alone Asgard, or any other world- if she continued pretending to be someone she wasn't.

They had to come up with something else. A better strategy. A plan.

"Are you growing tired of being heroic, little witch?" Loki slit a Chitauri's throat and tossed him away with a kick in the back. "We can still commandeer a ship and get away from here."

"No." Raven shook her head. "We won't run."

"Wake up. This is not New York. No hero will appear and soar up into a wormhole with a nuke in his arms, destroy all the evil aliens, and save the world." Loki stabbed another Chitauri; then he paused to glance around. Asgard was in flames. And as much as he hated to admit it, it pained him to see the golden city burn. He had grown up here, had roamed every street, every alley in his youth-

_Pathetic sentiments!_ This was just a town, and even if he had once called it his home, it was lost to him long before the Chitauri attack.

"Hm..." Raven mused as she stared into the distance, "I reckon we don't necessarily need a nuke. Perhaps, a simple dagger will do."

Loki's eyes followed her gaze through the blaze of burning houses to a distant tower. They fell upon a familiar figure standing atop its roof, overlooking the battlefield.

The Other

Loki froze. He tried to hide the feeling of unease as memories of torture and pain came flooding back.

"You're mad. You cannot hope to best him."

"True. I can't. But you can."

"What?" He didn't want to appear like a coward, but he liked what Raven was suggesting even less.

"Loki, you can end this. You're probably the only one who can-"

"You want me to sacrifice myself for the good of Asgard? To wipe out the red from my ledger?" Loki snarled dangerously. Anger boiled up within him; all of a sudden, he felt betrayed.

"Don't be an idiot," Raven replied coolly, and totally unimpressed by the rage in his voice. "I never meant for you to sacrifice yourself." She tsked to underline the ridiculousness of this idea, then she continued in a more persuading tone. "What I meant, instead, is that no one knows that freaking, stinking piece of alien shit better than you. You know his flaws, his weakness. You can beat him."

His anger subsided, but his scepticism remained. He recalled his last encounter with the Other, the wounds and scars that still marred his body and soul; some were so deep they would never go away.

"For the good of Asgard?" Loki murmured in a huff. "For their _gratitude_? A meaningless clap on the shoulder will be all I get before they lock me away again."

The ground under his feet was trembling. He saw the zigzag lines of cracks forming tiny little crevices.

_...there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can not find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain..._

"No, Loki." Raven said calmly. "Not for Asgard. For yourself. You've got many reasons to kill the bastard for what he's done to you. It's payback time. And if vengeance isn't motivating enough- what about the fun to prove wrong all who ever doubted you?"

Loki smirked. She really know how to manipulate him, but she wasn't manipulative enough to send him to his certain death, because she was right in one point- he knew his enemy. He knew how the Other ticked. He could do it.

All around them was chaos, destruction and desperation. The ashes fell like snow. Loki snaked an arm around Raven's waist and puller her closer to him.

The crevices beneath their feet deepened when the ground trembled again as if it wanted to tear them apart. Atop the tower, the Other turned to stare in his direction. Fate had finally found him. There was nowhere to hide.

"Well then! It's time for a goodbye kiss." Loki purred into Raven's ear.

She thought it a jest until he was seriously kissing her with so much passion, hunger and determination it left her breathless for a moment, and instead of shoving him away- like she should have done- she found herself wrapped around his neck, enjoying the kiss and returning it.

-ooOoo-

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Tony Stark was monitoring Erik Selvig. The astrophysicist hadn't left Loki's former lair in a desolate and dilapidated industrial area outside of New York for days, hiding somewhere in the ruins of an old factory.

It was a boring job for the S.H.I.E.L.D agents who were observing Selvig, too. They were sitting in an unobtrusive black van, waiting for something to happen so they could finally file a report, or at least call for reinforcement. Until then, the occasional passer-by wouldn't notice them since the only sign of their presence was a trash full of empty Starbucks cups.

Tony was standing on a rooftop right above their car, smirking at their sweet idleness. They were so busy watching the dilapidated old factory up the road, they hadn't even noticed him flying in, and they were completely unaware of the fact that there was, indeed, something happening in the basement of that old factory- of course, they didn't have the information Jarvis was providing him with.

And right now, Jarvis told him that some critical data was spiking.

Tony decided to take a closer look. He activated his repulsors and shot up in the skies, flying in a wide semicircle around the S.H.I.E.L.D van, before he landed in the filthy backyard of the factory. The place was littered with rubbish and overgrown with scrub.

Tony made his way to an open backdoor and entered the building.

His sensors told him the air inside smelled of rot and piss, and he was glad to be in his suit with his headpiece down.

He found a staircase leading downwards to the basement, so he followed it. Loki had told him all he could still remember about his lair, and Tony recognized the long, dark corridors, the columns and arches of his memories at once.

Had he been interested in architecture, he would have remarked how outstanding it was for the basement of an old factory. But Tony had no eyes for the beauty of this place. He simply wanted to find Selvig.

He crossed a vast hall and paused to decide which of the corridors leading from that hall he should take, when suddenly he heard Selvig's voice coming from a room nearby. The doc was talking to someone he addressed as '_Master_'.

"Yes, yes, we know, master... we will do that, master... whatever you wish... We are your loyal servant, master..."

With his back pressed to the wall, Tony hid in the shadows of the corridor and cast a glance into the room. It was full of pretty- albeit, sadly, already covered in dust- technology. What a waste! Loki must have cared to get the best instruments available for his research on the Tesseract, and now all of the beauties were rotting away in a damp cellar.

Then he saw Selvig. He was pacing the room, and first it appeared as if he was soliloquising, because there was no one else around he could talk to. But only an instant later, Tony noticed that Selvig was actually talking to the blue orb in Loki's glow-stick of destiny.

_Uh-oh! _TheAstrophysicist had been possessed by shiny bauble and turned Gollum. Well, at least, Selvig had not called it _my precious_, yet. There was still a fair chance to give him a much needed cognitive recalibration.

"Yes, yes, master... we know we're not alone."

Selvig escaped the blast Tony shot at him. He whirled around and threatened to stab Tony with the sceptre. Then he smirked. It looked really creepy on him.

"Selvig. Drop that sceptre and I swear I won't harm you."

Selvig's laughter was even creepier than his smirk. From the outside, the was still the chubby, tousle haired doctor of astrophysics, but his joviality was gone. Deep inside him, something nasty was lurking. His eyes were shining Tesseract-blue, brimming with madness, and his sweaty face was so waxen in its paleness that it almost reminded Tony of Chitauri skin.

That moment, Jarvis' impersonal voice informed him of some data spiking again. At the same time, Selvig prodded his chest with the sceptre. The sound of metal scraping against metal was an unpleasant one, but that was all that happened. Selvig tried it again.

"It didn't work for Frosty. It won't work for you. I'm a tough one to control." Tony heaved a sigh and reached out to take hold of the sceptre. "I don't take orders well."

Selvig refused to let go of the glow-stick of destiny. Both of them were wrestling to gain the upper hand, and surprisingly, the astrophysicist was much stronger than he appeared.

All of a sudden, a bright, almost blinding beam of light appeared. It seemed to come from high above, from where the ceiling of the basement should be- except that it wasn't there anymore. Tony saw distant skies with constellations of stars he wasn't familiar with.

_Damn! Another wormhole!_ He tried to not panic. The very last thing he could use now was an anxiety attack.

Meanwhile, Selvig looked straight into the light. With an almost dreamy expression on his face he whispered, "Yes, master, I'm coming."

"You're not going anywhere!" With one hand still holding onto the sceptre, Tony swung his fist at Selvig. He missed his head, though, when he was lifted off his feet and soared up into the skies.

Together, both of them clinging to the sceptre, they left the dilapidated factory behind. Tony saw the desolated industrial area beneath his feet becoming smaller and soon, New York was no more than a tiny little speck on a 3D map of Earth.

He was flying- no, it wasn't like flying at all; it was more like an elevator ride at speed of light (or even faster, if that wouldn't be a violation of causality and no such had ever been recorded- on the other hand, eating shawarma with a god from Norse mythology after an alien attack on New York was probably just as weird.)

While Tony was still trying to grasp the rules of that physical phenomena, he was travelling through time and space. He saw colourful nebulas, dying stars, and the birth of new ones. They came and went by, all in less than the blink of an eye.

It was incredible, almost maddening. And all the time he held on to Loki's glow-stick of destiny, together with Selvig.

Finally, the beam of light spat them back out on solid ground. Immediately, Tony got to his feet and glanced around. He was in a golden, dome-shaped building. The bodies of soldiers in suits of armour (mostly golden) were lying on the floor. They were dead- except for one, who was actually moving, struggling to get up.

_Where is Selvig?_ That interested Tony more than finding out just wherever the hell that damnable sceptre had taken them. Fact was, he wasn't on Earth anymore. Unless he was in Hollywood, at the set of a sword-and-sandal movie about knights in golden armour. But the blood on the floor was real-

Then he spotted Selvig. Apparently, he was knocked out- which was a good thing, since he had let go of the sceptre. Tony picked it up.

Selvig moaned, "Nooo..."

He was still obsessed with his precious. He still needed cognitive recalibration.

Meanwhile, the guy who wasn't dead had gotten to his feet and was stumbling around, wielding a large sword. Tony didn't like that. The sword was probably sharp, and the guy was obviously injured. He wasn't keen on getting stabbed accidentally, so he cleared his throat to get the golden guy's attention.

"Hello! Who are you and where am I?"

The guy leaned on his sword and turned around to glance at Tony with eyes that were- surprise!- golden.

"I am Heimdall, the gatekeeper of Asgard."

Asgard! Yeah, Tony had already guessed that, so it wasn't a big surprise. It could have been worse. Selvig could have taken them to Chitauri land... on the other hand, there were too damned many Chitauri here in Asgard. Actually, it was almost like New York all over again.

His eyes strayed from the golden, dome-shaped building, across a bridge shimmering in rainbow colours, to the golden city at the other end. It was dominated by a huge, golden palace.

The city was in flames. The skies above were dark with Chitauri chariots and Leviathans.

Asgard's gatekeeper was doing a lousy job.

Nevertheless, Tony flashed him a smile and said, "Pleased to meet you, Heimdall. I'm-"

"I know who you are, Man of Iron." Heimdall cut him off. "Help me to close Bifrost and activate the shield."

-ooOoo-

_It was just a kiss_, Raven kept telling herself. It didn't mean anything. She had _not_ betrayed her husband by kissing Loki, because that kiss was merely a gesture of kindness, given to a man who was about to march into a crucial battle and face his demons.

Alright, it had not been an innocent kiss- she had kissed him with passion. So what? She loved Severus and that was all that really mattered. She was a happily married witch.

And yet, she had developed feelings for Loki. Most of the time, she wanted to throttle him for being an idiot, but as she was watching him now, walking with determination to meet his fate, her heart ached for him.

He wasn't looking back. Only once he had turned around to flash her a mischievous smirk, then he had continued his way until he had reached the tower where the Other was already waiting for him.

Raven wished she had Extendable Ears so she could listen to what they were talking- probably, the Other just mocked him, before Loki attacked the Über-Chitauri. He moved with swift grace, but the Other wasn't a lame one either, and he had powers only Loki knew of.

Although the Other was shorter in statue, he looked bigger, mightier. More powerful (and definitely more creepier) than Loki, who was merely furnished with his daggers-

"What is he up to, now?"

Raven winced at Thor's voice. She hadn't noticed him approaching; she had been too focused on Loki, and now she cursed herself for being so careless. After all, she was at a battlefield.

Out of reflex, she grabbed her gun tighter and shot another Chitauri, before she gave Thor a snub answer.

"Well, what does it look like?"

It was plain to see that Thor had still not digested the fact that the Chitauri were not Loki's allies. It was also obvious that Thor didn't trust Loki. Raven didn't blame him for that.

"I can see that he is fighting the Chitauri leader. But why?" Thor replied, sounding sceptical. Seeing didn't mean believing, and it showed in his face that he couldn't quite grasp what he saw. His eyes were full of questions.

Then, a memory flickered up in them.

_Mountains, bare stone. 'Who controls the would-be-king?'_

What if- ?

Hie mien changed to one of determination. Thor whirled his hammer in order to take up flight, but Raven stopped any rash and imprudent action by grabbing his arm.

"Um, what do you think you're doing?"

He glanced at her as if she was the daft one of them, before he blurted out, "I have to help my little brother to fight that monster."

"No."

"No?" He frowned at her. "But he is all alone up there."

"That is a very astute observation, indeed." Raven rolled her eyes and heaved an exasperated sigh. "And yet, this is Loki's fight. Not yours."

Thor looked as crestfallen as a beaten puppy. He didn't understand. "In our youth, we always fought together. For the good of Asgard-"

"Dammit! Loki doesn't want your help, nor does he need it. And even less, he's fighting for the bloody good of Asgard!" She cut him off in a sharp tone that she regretted almost instantly. Thor was a good guy. He meant well. He wanted to defend and protect his little brother, now that she had somehow managed to convince him that Loki wasn't all evil- and yet, he'd fuck it up over and over again, simply because he failed to grasp that Loki wasn't his little sidekick, lurking in the shadow of his greatness. Therefore, she tried to explain it to him. "Listen, Thor. Loki's still got an axe to grind with that creepy Chitauri guy, and he can handle that pretty well on his own, because he knows him better than you or any other Asgardian. So, stop smothering him. Let him step out of your overbearing shadow. Give him space to breathe, and have faith in him, for once-"

Raven fell silent for a moment. Something was happening; she could sense it... a strong and ancient magic was awakening. She turned her head towards its source, the Bifrost site, and saw that the portal was closing. No more Chitauri chariots or Leviathans were coming. At the same time, a shimmering golden ring formed around the golden palace of Asgard, rising higher and higher.

The Chitauri guns couldn't penetrate it.

-ooOoo-

Tony helped Heimdall to close Bifrost, then Heimdall activated a golden energy shield closing around the main palace.

"What about the civilians?" Tony asked, because- yes!- he did have a soft heart somewhere beneath his arc-reactor, and there were still people dying in the streets.

The gatekeeper shrugged. "I am just following orders. The house of Odin has to be protected."

Leaning on his sword, Heimdall slumped down next to the generator that had activated the shield, and Tony remembered that the guy was probably wounded. Most definitely, he was worn out.

It was still a lame excuse.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Had Tony been on Earth now, he simply would have called an ambulance- but he was in Asgard. He didn't even know if the Asgardians had ambulances or hospitals, or if they just healed on their own.

If only he could ask Jarvis! But he had already noticed that the connection with his reliable A.I. was just as down as his energy level.

"Watch out." Heimdall mumbled.

"Yeah, sure." Tony drawled, before he realized what the gatekeeper meant. Damn! Selvig was back on his feet. Well, more or less. Selvig was half crawling, half stumbling (but that with determination) at him, greedy hands stretched out like claws, eager to retrieve his precious.

Tony tried to keep him at bay by striking out at him with the sceptre he still carried in his iron-clad fist. Nevertheless, Selvig jumped like a giant frog and tried to snatch for the glow-stick of destiny.

"Oh no. No, no no. I've so had it with you freaking madman!"

Tony held up his other hand and mustered all the energy still left in him to activate the repulsors in his fingers. His suit was creaking as the blast sent Selvig crashing into the nearest wall, and this time the mad doc blacked out for good.

He felt sorry for that pitiable creature the former brilliant astrophysicist had become, but if his treatment had cured him from his Gollum-like obsession with a shiny blue bauble, Tony didn't know. He had done all he could. It was time to move on...

_...and do what, precisely? _His energy level was still down, and he missed Jarvis. He was feeling useless as he watched the battle still raging at the other end of the bridge.

It was then he recalled his first encounter with Thor. During that fight, the God of Thunder had (involuntarily) given him a 400 percent upload.

Tony turned to Heimdall again. "I have to find Thor."

-ooOoo-

"If you truly want your brother back, you have to let him go. Let him do what he considers to be right, and be prepared for a surprise. But if you expect the brother you once thought to know will return, you will be disappointed. Things will never be the same as before he let go and fell into the Void, but there's still the chance things will be better in the end."

While Thor was still struggling to comprehend the meaning of her rather cryptic advice, he heard a familiar, much too cheerful, voice in all the cataclysm raging around them. The skies above them were still dark, people were still dying, mindlessly slaughtered by the Chitauri, and the ashes of fires were raining down like snow. The ground beneath their feet was grumbling, trembling- and his little brother, who was supposed to be the initiator of this, was up on a distant tower, fighting his own battle against the Chitauri leader.

"Hey guys, glad I found you. Thor, could you give me a-" Tony fell silent when his eyes followed theirs to where Loki was leading a lonely battle against the most creepiest of all Chitauri. "What the heck is Frosty doing up there?"

"Frosty?" Thor asked incredulously, but both Raven and Tony ignored him.

Tony had forgotten his request as he watched Loki. Alas, things didn't look advantageous for him, although he was clearly the more elegant fighter. The way he moved was swift, resolute, and full of vengeance. But the Other was clearly stronger in built-

"May I borrow this for a moment?" Raven asked politely, and before Tony could react, the sceptre had already left his hand and was floating in midair between them.

"Yes... um, no. No!" He called out. "Don't touch it! It's dangerous!"

"Oh, I hope it is." She smiled. The blue gem was glowing, looking for someone new it could control. Well, she wouldn't be the one. Raven didn't touch it. She used a Levitation Charm to send the sceptre flying across the battlefield, towards the tower where Loki was fighting the Other.

"What are you doing?" Thor gasped. "Are you mad?"

"Some may say so."

The Other made an attempt to snatch the sceptre out of the air, but it landed in Loki's hand. Just like she had planned.

Tony and Thor stared at Raven, both with wide eyes. They recalled the last time Loki was in possession of the sceptre, and they didn't like these memories.

"Uh-oh, I don't think that was a good idea." Tony remarked darkly.

He sensed it coming. There was a prickle of magic in the air, _her_ magic. Loki smirked.

The Other saw the sceptre and felt victorious. He thought it was meant for him- after all, his ally was here; he had ordered him to come. But the sceptre evaded his hand.

Loki caught it easily. He noticed a feeling of familiarity as his fingers closed around the shaft. The blue gem was glowing, calling out for him. This time, however, he was immune to the false pretence of power it promised; it was just a tool, a mighty weapon, and he knew how to use it.

The Other thought he had figured him out? Oh no, there was still a surprise left in his bag of tricks.

Loki could have stabbed him sneakily from behind, like he'd done with Coulson. But that wouldn't do now. He wanted to _see_ him die, wanted to look into the Chitauri's mean little eyes and watch life fading from them until he knew for sure the Other had no control over him anymore, and never again.

He needed closure.

The Other's eyes bulged with surprise when Loki ran him through with the tool that was meant to _control_ him. He hadn't expect the little princeling- the cast out king- to have the guts to beat him in a fair fight. But in the end, that was exactly what was happening. Loki's trick was to not use any tricks. It was a clean kill.

The Other was dying. The last thing he saw were a pair of green eyes glancing at him pitilessly. Loki smiled coolly. He didn't feel victorious, just relieved that it was over. A great weight seemed to have been lifted off his shoulders; a nightmare had come to an end.

The Other was no more. Almost at the same time he ceased to exist, all of his Chitauri dropped dead in the streets. Their Leviathans fell from the skies. And somewhere at the other end of a closed portal, the very last Chitauri mothership exploded.

It was over.

Loki had ended it.

The Asgardians were slightly shell-shocked in the aftermath of the battle, standing in the wake of devastation, confusion written in their faces. It took them a while to realize it was actually Loki who had ended the horror, and many heads turned to stare at him in silence.

No one was cheering like they would have cheered for Thor. Loki's victory was met with scepticism and suspicion.

He didn't mind. He hadn't expected a parade anyway, so no one could rain down on it, now.

The crowd was waiting for something- anything- to happen. Probably for him to prove them right, and it was very tempting indeed to let them kneel and chant his name. He could proclaim himself the new King of Asgard...

The gem in the sceptre was glowing in tantalizing blue light, whispering that he should do it, whispering that it would be fun.

_Bad karma, _he could almost hear Raven say.

Loki decided to not give in to temptation. At least not to the lure of power. He dropped the sceptre. He would not let it control him, not for all the kingdoms in the universe. It was time to move on, to leave behind all his ambitions that would only lead to death and destruction; he'd had his fair of share of them. And so he watched the sceptre rolling over to the dead body of the Other, where the glow of the blue stone turned as greyish as dead Chitauri skin.

Only then, he felt victorious. With a smug smile he glanced across the crowd until he finally found the one face he was looking for.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Raven raised her arm in a salute, her fingers were forming the victory sign. Despite the death and destruction all around them, she allowed herself a moment of cheerfulness. It was over! Loki had succeeded!

She had never doubted him.

With a smug smile she turned to Tony and Thor. "So, what was it you guys were worried about again?"

"He'll be even more insufferable, now." Tony muttered, but his lips were twitching a little.

"Well, it takes one to know one."

Tony didn't mind her jab. He chuckled, because chuckling kept him from feeling uncomfortable. He had taken off him helmet and was still pondering whether he should try to get out of his suit or not.

It was heavy; it weighed him down and slowed his movements. And without power, without a connection to Jarvis, it was pretty useless.

On the other hand, he was probably a million light years from home, in another galaxy, on another planet. Asgard. He was standing on foreign grounds. On a battlefield where a horrible, devastating battle had just taken place. True, the fighting was over now. The Chitauri were all dead.

And yet, the suit meant safety. It made him feel less vulnerable. He could hide all his insecurities in its gold-titanium alloy, and ignore the dead eyes staring at him.

Thor's eyes never left the lonely figure of his brother on that distant tower. He still couldn't quite grasp what had just happened. Each and every time he thought he had finally figured him out, Loki did something totally unexpected, and he was as wise as before. He wished he could trust him. He wished he had Raven's optimism, her certainty-

He glanced at her. She seemed to see the good in Loki he failed to believe in after all that had happened. After Loki had tried to kill him on several occasions. He wished things were different, that they were like they used to be way back then. But it was too late for that. He couldn't rewind time.

And so Thor remained sceptical, almost as if he half-expected Loki to pick up that sceptre again, and wreak havoc on Asgard.

No such thing happened.

Thor focussed his mind on more pressing matters. The people of Asgard needed him now. Although they were a nation of warriors, they had suffered an unexpected and vicious attack today. They were shocked. They needed hope and reassurance, a silver lining, a guiding light.

Thor raised his mighty hammer Mjolnir to the skies. A blinding flash tore the remains of dark clouds still lingering; thunder rolled like a drum to welcome back the sun, while at the same time, rain was pouring down to extinguish the last fires still burning.

It was quite a bold demonstration for someone had not won the battle, who had not killed the Über-Chitauri and stopped Asgard's near defeat. The crowd didn't mind. They cheered nevertheless.

Loki stood at the foot of the tower, shaking rain out of his long, black hair.

_Disgusting, Thor._

The shower ended. He heard the cheering of the crowd as they celebrated their prince- the good son, the shining light. _The witless oaf_...

Idly, he stood and watched the Asgardians scurrying to and fro like busy ants now, finally dealing with the aftermath of the battle. They were tending to the wounded, counting the casualties- they should have started that long before Thor had proven his idiocy in a bravado of thunder and lightning.

On the other hand, their state of shell-shock had enabled him to disappear from the scene for a brief moment, without them even noticing he was gone. But now, he was back.

A sly smile was curling up the corners of his lips.

Asgard had fought many wars in the past, but never before had an enemy invaded the golden city so unexpectedly, and with such ferocity. The civilians were still in shock as they tried to come to terms with the events. It should have been a joyful day; they had gathered to celebrate the restoration of Bifrost when a bright blue beam of light from the Tesseract had opened a portal of devastation, and hell had broken loose.

Now, the streets were red with blood. Houses were in ruins; the charred timbers of burned roofs rose like a lament, charcoal black and still wet with rain. Tiny drops were sparkling in the sunlight, creating a surreal beauty that seemed to mock those who had lost someone dear today.

The dark clouds had dissipated. The sky was blue, but it was of a leaden shade, heavy with grief and desperation. Children were crying, screaming for their parents; the wounded groaned with pain; women were whining, sobbing, mourning the death of a beloved one. The Einherjar commanders were shouting orders, trying to master the situation.

It was the cacophony of cataclysm.

The city was ravaged by the Chitauri attack, but the golden palace was still towering above it, unscathed, gleaming in the pale sunlight like a monument of irony. Once a shining beacon of hope, it had lost its appeal in retrospect of all the horrors the Asgardians had suffered today. Odin, the protector of the Nine Realms had failed to protect his own people

Feeling let down and abandoned by their king, it didn't take long for words uttered in frustration to become more scathing. Exasperation gave them wings to spread and circulate, a voice of disrespect that almost bordered to mutiny.

Although these whispers fell silent when she walked by, stopping here and there to offer a helping hand or words of consolation, Frigga was very well aware of the discontent of her people. She understood their disappointment- the King and Queen of Asgard should have protected them; they should have prevented this calamity and not let it happen to them.

She had failed them.

She had let them down because she hadn't tried hard enough to persuade Odin to listen to the witch's warning. This tragic and disastrous catastrophe could have been avoided if only _he _had paid heed to a well meant advice...

Strangely, the people of Asgard didn't show any signs of disaffection or disloyalty towards her. They didn't blame her like she blamed herself, but they were clearly upset about what had happened today, and they wanted Odin to explain it to them.

Why had he, the Allfather, Protector of the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil, allowed this disaster to happen?

Where was he? Why did he not appease the Asgardians with his presence? Why did he not show up to stop these mutinous whispers from circulating?

In the aftermath of the battle, in all the desperation and pandemonium that came along with it, Frigga wasn't the only one wondering; the question started to spread like wildfire.

_'Where is Odin?'_

No one knew; no one had seen the King of Asgard since the beginning of the Chitauri invasion.

The Einherjar grew restless in uncertainty when the first rumours came up. Immediantely, they started to swarm out on a search for their king, neglecting their other duties in the process- which didn't sit well with the civilians still in need of help and support. The voice of mutiny grew louder again.

Then, one of the Einherjar commanders paused in his pointless action to shoot a wary glance in Loki's direction, clearly blaming the God of Mischief for all the chaos.

Loki flashed the commander, Tyr was his name, an innocent smile in return. But the bile burned bitter in his throat. Anger and frustration were almost suffocating him.

_So it's all my fault? Yes? Who saved you today? __**Who?**_

It was the never-ending error of his ways. He was forever the failure, the flaw in the plan, a shadow standing in the shining light of Thor's greatness.

Wounds that would never heal, and every voice sounded like a mockery.

The sceptre was still there, almost beckoning him to pick it up. A siren's call, so sweet and luring. No one would be able to stop him. All he had to do was to get up the tower and close his fingers around its shaft; it would be a familiar feeling. Then, he would establish his dominion over Asgard. He would make those who have scorned him kneel and chant his name...

_\- Bad Karma._

_Damn! Go away_!- But the witch remained in his mind. He remembered black skies, the fire of guns; the ground caved in between where they were standing when they kissed. He got what he deserved.

Mind, he wasn't in love with the witch. Love was for children, a silly sentiment.

And yet, he wouldn't mind repeating that kiss, the wild frenzy of emotions. He wanted more of that.

As if he had called her, he saw Raven approaching. Now, that didn't surprise him. He had expected her to show up sooner or later anyway. What he hadn't expected, however, was the guy who accompanied her.

Loki blinked in astonishment. Tony Stark. Not Iron Man. Just Tony. Without his suit.

His eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise, and although Loki was wondering about Tony's presence in Asgard, he nevertheless managed to put on an unfazed face, as if it was perfectly normal for mortals to come and visit Asgard in the aftermath of a devastating battle.

But before he could meet and greet the probably only two people here who were actually well-disposed towards him, Loki noticed that they weren't the only ones getting nearer. Thor was closing in on him as well, followed by his sidekicks, the Idiots Four.

_Oh no, I'm in trouble_\- mainly because Thor had that big, asinine smile plastered on his face. The mindless oaf was proud of him! Almost instincively, Loki took a step backwards.

_Fool! I haven't changed._

_'...I've grown, Odin's son, in my exile...' _A voice in the back of his mind snarled cynically_._

_Don't call me brother. Don't dare to hug me. Get away from me._

"Loki!" Thor called out, louder than necessary, but then his jovial mien fell when he actually interpreted Loki's defensive reaction right, and grasped that it wouldn't be wise to give him a brotherly hug. His indecisive arms dropped to his sides as he stood, not quite knowing what to do. He looked like an abandoned puppy in dire need of being petted.

"Thor." Loki coolly nodded his acknowledgement of Odinson's presence before he cast a quick glance around to see what the Idiots Four were up to, now that Thor had sort of established they were on good terms again. And indeed, they had lowered their weapons. Hogun the Grim was still looking... well, _grim._.. but the others didn't appear as if they wanted to smash his head any time soon- except for Lady Sif.

She was still holding her double-bladed sword in a vice-like grip, so tightly that you could see her knuckles turning white in anticipation to cut him into pieces should the chance occur, and her pretty lips were curled up ugly in disdain.

He recalled a time when she had despised him less and couldn't stop himself from reminding her of that flashing her a smug smile.

"Hello Sif."

She reacted as if he had slapped her. Her face darkened even more; she was torn between following orders and the urge to give vent to her hurt pride, while Loki kept on smirking at her, enjoying her unease.

_Oh, this is fun..._

Sif _knew_ what he was alluding to with his smile; it was a memory she wasn't overly fond of- well, he begged to differ...

Of course (and that didn't surprise him at all) Raven arched an inquiring brow at him. Her power of observation was sharp and honed due to her job, and besides, she was a nosey person anyway. She must have noticed that he had a history with Sif, and she would surely pester him with questions later. But for now, she decided to remain silent.

Meanwhile, their joyful gathering was joined by yet another person. Someone should finally bring the drinks. Tony looked as if he was in need of one. On the outside, he kept his cool, pretending he was just a tourist in a weird place, but his eyes were darting from here to there and back, slightly at unease, before they widened at the sight of Frigga approaching.

It wasn't the fact that she was carrying a long sword in her hand, or that it was dripping with Chitauri blood- she wasn't the only female warrior here. But while Sif was like Xena, the warrior _princess_, Frigga was every inch a queen, standing all regal and dauntless.

"Mother! Are you all right?" Thor hurried to check on her.

"Don't worry about me, I am fine," she replied in a calm tone, but she didn't glance at Thor; her eyes were resting on Loki's face. A fleeting smile graced her lips. _Welcome back, son._

_Hello, mother. Have I made you proud? _He didn't have to ask this question again. Now, she was proud of him; he had done the right thing. It was a strange feeling.

Fortunately, Frigga didn't bestow him with motherly hugs and kisses- it would have been too much. Her quiet approval was enough. It made his heart leap a little to see she still cared and that (for once) Thor was not the centre of her attention.

Loki flashed her a brief smile in return. It was an honest smile, not feigned, derisive, or full of hidden mockery.

Of course, it didn't take long for Thor to spoil that silent moment. It was just a simple question, one that almost every Asgardian was wondering about, and yet it was the wrong question.

"Where is father? Has anyone seen Odin?"

Thor glanced from Frigga to Loki, who felt the same old anger boiling up within him. But he didn't lash out. He kept his mouth shut and braced himself. Lowering his head, he stared at his feet for about a minute.

When he raised his eyes again, they were dark and his expression was sorrow-stricken.

"Mother. Thor. I'm so sorry, but I've got sad news to tell you," Loki said with as much consternation as he could muster.

_Hollywood's calling_, Raven thought as she mentally nominated him for the next Oscar. A good liar had to be a great actor, and he was starring in this drama.

"Odin is dead. The Other told me so."

Although his face was all sombre and contrite, there was the tiniest hint of a malicious sparkle in his eyes- he was not at all crestfallen about Odin's demise. Instead, he hid his contempt for him with the proficiency of a skilled liar.

Meanwhile, Thor was in a state of denial as if he refused to believe what Loki had just claimed.

"No. That's not true! Not father- Odin is the strongest, fiercest warrior I know, the King of Asgard, protector of the Nine Realms- he cannot be dead! Tell me it's not true!"

"I'm so sorry, brother," Loki said, but he was clearly enjoying Thor's distress.

"Where did he fall?" Frigga inquired in a matter-of-fact tone, keeping her countenance. No matter how horrible the news was, the Queen of Asgard would not weep in front of her people. They needed her to be strong now.

"I do not know. The Other said he killed him upon arrival."

Loki knew more than he was willing to admit, Raven was certain about that. So, why did he lie? This was not the right time for playing games, unless- no, she doubted he had killed Odin himself. No matter how much he would have loved doing that, he hadn't dirtied his hands.

If Odin was really dead, the people of Asgard needed closure. They had to recover the body of their king so that they could bury him.

"We don't really _bury_ people here, little witch," he replied in an amused whisper when she appealed to him and urged him to show them the whereabouts of Odin's body.

Loki agreed with some reluctance as he led the way without letting anyone know what he knew.

_...in her mind's eye, Raven saw Loki standing atop that tower; his long, black hair was blowing in the wind. The sky above him was dark with gloomy clouds..._

_The Other approached him. For the first time, she could see his face. Usually, it was hidden under a hood- for a good reason. It was appalling. Ugly._

_Mean little eyes were staring at Loki when he said without preamble, __'I just killed your father._'

_It was meant as a means __to discourage Loki__\- he should have known better than that._

_'Ah, really? Do you expect me to grieve for him? To mourn?' Loki chuckled. 'No, perhaps I should express my gratitude, because you brought me one step closer to the throne.'_

_'There is no throne for you. No one will be there to save you.' The Other attacked, but Loki parried his blow with ease._

_'I don't need anyone to save me.' Loki spun and ducked, taking the Other by surprise as his dagger slit the pale skin of his forearm; dark Chitauri blood was dripping on the floor and the tower began to shake..._

_..._the scene faded and was replaced by pictures of the fight Raven remembered from the distance. She thought about cutting the mental connection with Loki, when all of a sudden she was somewhere else. It was a dingy, dark and desolated alley, and she was staring at the lifeless form of Odin Borson-

_'Get out of my head, witch!'_

Loki's mind spat her out before she could take a closer look around.

Minutes later, she was actually standing in the very same dirty and desolated alley, staring at the lifeless form of Odin Borson, King of Asgard. It was like a déjà-vu, except for the fact that the sight of him was even more ghastly in reality than it was in her vision.

His body was coated with blood from many wounds, most of them seemed to be lethal. On the other hand, there wasn't enough blood covering the ground to assume he had died here. In favour of Loki, she ruled out that he had dragged the body into this alley, but she could very well imagine the Chitauri doing just that to add insult to injury, and to desecrate the mighty King of Asgard.

Someone had even stolen his golden eye-patch, which didn't make the sight of him more agreeable. A gruesome, badly scarred hole was gaping at a family reunion of the strangest kind, in which everyone was hiding their emotions. Thor and Frigga were probably too shocked to react any other way- they might have hoped that it wasn't true until they came face to face with the horrible truth- whereas Loki managed to hide his comtempt (mingled with a certain satisfaction) behind a mask of blankness.

Raven knew he had been here before- _had he taken a souvenir in form of a golden eye patch?_

_Did it even matter?_

Odin was dead. Everything about his lifeless form told her that no one could have possibly survived such wounds- nevertheless, she couldn't help but to kneel down at his side and check his vital signs. It was an almost involuntary reaction, caused by years of working in the field of criminal investigations.

"Oh dear, he's dead." Loki said in a tone close to mockerey as he watched her.

"Shhh!" Although Raven had never finished her studies and wasn't a proper medical examiner, she could tell for sure if someone was dead or not. And, as unbelievable as it seemed, and given how dreadfully maimed his body looked, there was still a breath of life in Odin. There was a pulse, no matter how faint it was.

"Call an ambulance! He's not dead!"

Tony was probably the only one who knew what she was talking about. Immediately, he proceeded his cell-phone and dialled- only to realize that it didn't work here; just like Jarvis and all the other technical gimmicks of his world. He heaved a frustrated sigh.

"He's not dead?" Thor asked, hope in his voice.

"Well, he's barely alive... I guess he's in sort of a coma, caused by his wounds and the loss of blood." Raven said as she got to her feet again.

"It's called Odinsleep." Loki whispered in her ear, dripping sarcasm on her skin.

He was much too close; she could feel his warm breath tickling her neck- _Damn_! It wasn't unpleasant, but it reminded her of the fact that she had kissed that scoundrel just a short while ago, and that was a rather inappropriate thought right now.

"Take him to the healing room, immediately!" Frigga called out, and promptly, some Einherjar soldiers appeared at her side to follow her order. They lifted Odin's motionless form on a stretcher and carried him away.

In the meantime, Loki snorted contemptuously and continued, "It's his way to evade reality and to avoid questions he isn't willing to answer- he just falls asleep."

Raven elbowed him, and although he had spoken in a low whisper for only her to hear, the Einherjar commander stopped to stare at Loki with unconcealed mistrust.

"Is there anything amiss, Commander Tyr?" Frigga asked pointedly.

"Forgive me, my queen, it is not my intention to burden you with more sorrows than necessary- but what about him? Wasn't it one of Odin's last orders that he should be locked away in the dungeons for the rest of his days? How did he escape from there anyway?" Tyr turned his head and glared at Raven like a man who had always been suspiciuos of witches.

"I appreciate your concern, commander," Frigga straightened her back, standing all regal like a true queen. Her eyes were cold as steel as she dared Tyr to question her decision. "Since Odin is momentarily indisposed, he cannot pardon Loki. But I can, and I do so, regarding the bravery he showed. It was Loki's courage, his skills, that saved Asgard today."

Tyr bowed his head; he was clearly not happy with her statement, but no word of disrespect would ever slip his lips. Instead, he cast a quick glance at Thor before he said, "Yes, my queen."

Raven breathed a sigh of relief, knowing it could have ended worse. They had gotten off lightly. The queen had made a clever move to rehabilitate Loki, although it was not an official pardon.

"Loki, meet me in my quarters in an hour from now. Meanwhile, entertain your mortal friends with all the hospitality Asgard has to offer." Frigga ordered, then she left and followed the Einherjar carrying Odin to the golden palace.

_'Frigga is the only reason you are still alive, and you will never see her again'_\- _Well, you're wrong here, old man. I __**will**__ see her again._..

Loki smirked. Then he realized that Thor was lagging behind, watching him. Probably waiting for him to join them in spite of Frigga's instructions.

He slightly shook he head to signal the oaf that he was definitely **not** in the mood for a happy family reunion- it would be a farce anyway. Thor was not his brother, Odin was not his father- he had grown tired of living this lie, of standing in the shadow of their greatness.

In the end, Thor trotted away. Raven almost felt sorry for him.

"Whoa! Your mum's really quite a badass- um, queen. Great queen!" Tony said, sounding impressed. His eyes followed Frigga until he lost sight of her.

"Yes, she is." Loki whispered barely audible before he cleared his throat and told Raven and Tony to follow him as he headed for the golden palace.

The great palace of Asgard was probably the only building in the city that had not been damaged during the Chitauri attack; at least not visibly. The stronghold of Odin's rule looked like a fortress of hope, of continuity, in all the chaos and destruction- but was there still hope without Odin?

The people of Asgard knew from hearsay that their king was fatally wounded and had fallen into Odinsleep; some said he would never wake again. In times when rumours were the only currency, the mood in the streets changed swiftly. Mutinous whispers turned into heartfelt despair. Now, the people of Asgard were mourning for their king. They had already forgotten that they had blamed him for their losses only a heartbeat ago.

When all was said and done, it was always so much easier to blame the usual suspect. The dark prince, the bastard. Loki.

And hail the golden boy. Hail Thor, crown prince of Asgard.

Animosity and mistrust were Loki's companions, and they never shut up; they followed every step he made. However, witches weren't that popular in Asgard, either.

Some accused Raven of having cursed Odin, which was almost flattering.

"Hey, we could share the blame to make it more bearable," she suggested, smiling at Loki because it was plain to see how much the situation bothered him. "Or, let's make it a contest- who's Asgards most hatred? Of course, you're centuries of loathing ahead, but I guess I cought up quite nicely with just one appearance at court."

"What?!" He stopped to stare at her. His old friend anger took wings and flew away as frustration gave way to an amused chuckle; the desire to burn what was left of Asgard subsided while another one grew. Loki smiled. "You'll lose."

"Hey, does anyone care to fill me in? Do I even want to know?"

Raven and Loki unlocked eyes and turned around to glance at Tony as if they had forgotten he was still there, but there he was, feeling quite superfluous, almost like an intruder in their company. _Three is a crowd._..

It was obvious that he wasn't needed here, and of what use was he anyway, without his suit? He wasn't even Iron Man, Thor's ally in the battle of New York. Without his suit, he was just Tony Stark...

_'…big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you?'_

_'Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist...' _

Yeah, great. Alas, there was no one here to impress with his billons of dollars. Heck, he couldn't even throw a big party to charm all the ladies, and did a nation of fierce warriors really need a philanthropist?

"How did you get here anyway?" Loki inquired, interrupting Tony's musings.

"Thanks for the warm welcome, Frosty, I missed you too." Tony quipped before he gave them a brief update.

It all made sense now. Loki had alread guessed that Tony wouldn't have travelled all the way from Midgard just to bring him the sceptre, looking all like a tourist without his suit.

When mentioning the Iron Man suit- or to be more precise, the lack of it- Tony groaned, glaring at Raven.

"All was well before your lovely witch started meddling-"

"All was well? I beg your pardon." Raven huffed indignantly. "I remember you complaining about it like a boy with a broken toy. It wasn't working. You wanted to get out of it. I offered my help and you accepted it."

"When you offered me a helping hand I assumed you'd do it in the undressing kind of way-"

"What did she do instead?" Loki cut in, grinning as if he already knew the answer.

"She blasted me into smithereens with her damned magic!"

"You still look quite intact for such a... um, _vicious_ attack."

"Yeah, 'cause I merely blasted his suit he wanted to get rid of anyway." Raven remarked dryly, much to Loki's amusement; he was still trying to fight a bark of laughter while Tony wasn't amused at all. She flashed him a smile. "Well, in the end you got rid of it just like you wanted, eh?"

Avoiding the spiteful crowd, Loki led his friends on more secretive paths to the golden palace. All the centuries of clandestinely sneaking in and out for fun's sake paid off when the venemous whispers faded in the distance.

Loki reached an unguarded door, and while opening it, he imagined leading a small group of qualified assassins through that door in order to bring down Asgard from within. It would be so easy. Just a handful of skilled experts-

The Chitauri's greatest mistake was their unwavering reliance in the strength of numbers. Well, and their lack of finesse, of course-

His train of thought stopped and ended when he heard Tony and Raven still bickering about the _Tin Can _ incident; Stark wouldn't let go of it.

"But I do know a lot about suits of armour!" Raven claimed, blinking innocent eyes at Tony, who had just questioned her alledged expertise. She explained, "There were lots of them at Hogwarts, the wizarding school I attended. They came in all sizes and shapes, and they were bewitched to walk and talk; sometimes, they even sang Christmas carols..."

Tony didn't listen anymore. They were walking down a long, dark corridor that seemed to be carved in stone, and it almost reeked of being very old, medieval- but then torches lit up, one by one, as they walked by. Lightening the darkness like modern motion detector lights.

Tony paused to stare at them, wondering if it was magic or science because it was hard to tell in a place like this.

Loki urged him to move on. "Stop gaping like a tourist."

"But I am a tourist. An involuntary tourist, I might add- damn, I have a date with Pepper tonight, and I can't even call her. She'll kill me. Is _'sorry, darling, I was stranded in Asgard_' even a good excuse?"

"It's not awfully bad." Loki said reassuringly, a wry smile curling up his lips. "I'm certain she is used to hearing worse from you."

Then he pushed open a door.

The light of what seemed to be thousands of candles greeted them; they were burning in enormous chandeliers hanging heavy and golden from the ceiling of a vast, cavernous hall. It was crowded with people hustling to and fro as they operated a row of huge ovens, baking big loaves of bread. Pans and pots of all sizes were sizzling on many hearths, giant cauldrons were simmering on serveral open fireplaces that were also used for roasting whole boars and a variety of poultry.

Surprisingly, though, the kitchen of the golden palace was not as hot as hellfire as one would expect. The air was cool and fresh with only a hint of delicious fumes lingering long enough to make your mouth water.

But it was loud and busy in there. Chefs were shouting orders, and an army of apprentices, assistants, maids and servants hurried to follow them. What seemed to be like a pandemonium was actually supervised by the keen eyes of one elderly matron, who stood all white-haired and stout with her hands stemmed resolutely to her hips. She would not miss a thing.

Of course, it didn't escape her attention that Loki had entered her realm. The hands were whispering, neglecting their work. She shooed them to go back to it before she slowly turned around to glance at him.

"Ah, you're back."

"Hello, good Mistress Alfhild," he said with a winning smile that failed to flatter her.

Unlike most Asgardians, she didn't eye him with suspicion as she scrutinized him from head to toe. Her face softened for a moment before she shook her head and tsked disapprovingly.

"Still much too thin," Alfhild mumbled, in her eyes the memory of a scrawny, black-haired lad, always more lanky than his brother, the golden boy.

Unceremoniously, she ushered Loki and his friends to an adjoining room. It was small but comfy. Torches were burning in dark, wrought iron holders attached to blank stone walls. They lit up as soon as they entered, shedding light on a plain wooden table and some chairs that could as well have been the interior of a pub. A couple of steps at the other end of the room led to another door opening to a brightly lit corridor.

By Alfhild's command, the table was soon loaded with enough food to feed an entire army, but none of them was very hungry. The wine was good, though, so they drank a glass in silence before Loki got to his feet again. It seemed to be wise to not keep Frigga waiting.

"Is he in trouble?" Tony mused as he watched him leave.

Loki walked up the stairs with long, swift steps that spoke of determination, but they seemed to lack his usual, natural grace.

"Seriously, Tony?" Raven glanced up from her wine to shot him an amused look, hiding her own worries in a cloud of cigarette smoke. She sounded careless when she said, "Loki _is_ trouble. The god of chaos and mischief, remember? Trouble is in his nature."

"And you're drawn to trouble," he smirked.

Raven pretended to not have heard Tony's statement; he was winking at her but she ignored it. There wasn't anything he needed to know, and she didn't want to remember that kiss now.

"Don't worry about Loki-"

"Most certainly not." Tony cut her off immediately, huffing indignantly although he had come to like Loki- well, if he wasn't about to obtain world domination and make everybody kneel, that is.

Then he glanced at Raven, a new curiosity in his eyes as he recalled that not all of the venemous whispers had been about Loki; she was almost as unpopular as he, and if he was trouble personified, she seemed to be his perfect match in this competition.

"So what have you done these past days to piss off the Asgardians?"

She shrugged and took a sip of wine before she replied, "I guess I might have something to do with me telling Odin what I'm thinking of his... um, _parenting_ skills."

"Whoa! I assume he didn't approve to your point of view?"

"Well, no. Not really. I know, it's not a nice thing to say about someone who's mortally wounded and in a coma called Odinsleep, but I'm glad he's not around right now. Although invisibility is surely a great gift, it can be fucking exhausting in the long run."


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Not mine, quote is by Oppenheimer.

Chapter 19

Loki knocked at the door to Frigga's chambers and entered without waiting for a reply. It was all like he remembered it from previous visits, in another life. Only one year had passed. A heartbeat. And yet it felt like a lifetime. Everything had changed but it all looked the same.

His eyes scanned the room briefly, looking for unexpected surprises, before they rested on the figure of his mother standing by the window, staring into the distance with her back to him. Apparently, she was lost in thoughts.

He cleared his throat to announce his arrival and thought about taking seat on the sofa.

Still not glancing at him, Frigga said, "Sit down."

All of a sudden, Loki preferred to stay standing.

Finally, she turned around with a sigh. A moment of silence went by as they were watching each other with keen eyes.

The Queen of Asgard was composed; her eyes were dry, but Loki knew she was deeply worried.

A good son would have asked about Odin now. Loki, however, couldn't bring himself to fake any concern. He didn't care about Odin anymore. There was no love, no respect left. It had all died the day he had found out about his true parentage- _Wasn't it ironic? The liesmith had been lied to his entire life..._

"Is any of what the witch said true?" Frigga asked after a while, sounding as if she was just wondering aloud.

"Oh, are we talking about the truth now?" Loki's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Whose truth? Odin's? Mine? There are many." He paused for a moment before he added, "By the way, her name is Raven."

She arched a quizzical brow at him, almost as if she was surprised that he cared. "Yes. I know."

"So, what did she tell you?" Loki snarled.

"Raven did not reveal any secrets. Do not question her loyalty." Frigga fell silent, and when she continued, her voice took on a more pleading tone. "I still don't know what happened to you, Loki. I kept searching for you ever since you fell into the abyss, and then, finally, I saw you in my dreams one day. You were so very far away, but my heart leapt with joy that you were still alive. I reached out for you, but you pushed me away."

_Not now, mother. _Oh yes, he recalled that moment. He was in Chitauri space, barely alive, bargaining for his life. It had not been the most opportune timing to have a chat with mummy.

"I was busy," Loki said evasively.

Frigga glanced at him with intense blue eyes that seemed to gouge inside his very soul. Almost instantly, Loki turned away from her and occluded his mind; she was not to see what he had endured. No one should ever know. He didn't want anybody's pity.

But the Queen of Asgard was a powerful witch. She managed to catch a fleeting glance at his ordeal and had to stifle a gasp.

"It is true, then," she concluded as she took a step closer towards her wayward son.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He stepped away from her.

"Loki."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Denial was not one of his most characteristic traits. Loki was a skilled liar, smart and eloquent, and it almost worried Frigga that he didn't even try to lie to her, telling her whatever story. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you ask Odin? He knows what I've done, and he sentenced me to rot away in the dungeons for my crimes- isn't that all you have to know?" Loki asked in a venomous tone as the anger and rage within him was boiling up again, getting the better of him. "Oh, I forgot. You cannot ask him. He fell asleep. How very convenient."

Frigga knew that this was not the right time for accusations; she had already tried to make him see the error of his ways, and she had failed. She had to come up with something else. Frigga remembered Raven's rant, her sharp criticism. And the witch was right- you cannot _d__rop a whale in the desert and tell him to not feel any different._

She had to make a choice. She could follow Odin's decision and lose her son forever, or she could try to find a new way of understanding by offering him love instead of accusations and punishment. Perhaps it was worth a try.

_...You fucked it up! You're biased. You're guilty all the same..._

"You are still my son, Loki," Frigga said softly. It didn't mean that all his misdeeds, all the crimes he committed on Midgard, were forgiven and forgotten. It was just a new approach.

"Ah, does Odin agree to that?"

Ignoring his bitter, sarcastic tone, she shook her head no. Frigga had always wanted to be a good wife to her husband, a good mother to her sons, and a good queen to the people of Asgard. Now, she realized she couldn't have it all. Everything was falling apart. The realm was in ruins, and she was standing at a pile of shards.

_There should be no secrets in a family._ But Odin had not listened to her. Had he ever listened to anything she said?

"His opinion will not make me love you less."

Loki had to swallow hard. He hadn't expected that, and for a moment he didn't know what to say or how to react. _Damn!_ He was growing soft.

-ooOoo-

Raven never found out what Loki and Frigga had been talking about. When he returned some time later, he was unusually quiet and didn't want to speak about it. He simply informed them that Frigga had called a meeting and wanted them to attend. Without further ado he led the way.

"Why does she want us to be around?" Raven wondered aloud.

"She's a smart woman... um, queen." Tony replied smugly. "My reputation-"

Raven elbowed him. Loki turned around with a sly smile on his lips.

"Don't think too much of it. She wouldn't hesitate to lock you in the dungeons and throw away the key for siding with me."

"I don't- I mean, I hardly know you at all."

Raven chuckled at Tony's sudden unease. He probably wished for the umpteenth time that he had never accepted her help to get out of his suit. While he fumbled for his phone only to recall that it wasn't working here anyway, she addressed Loki.

"So is locking you away still an issue?"

"At the moment? No. Apparently I'm on probation because I killed the Other and saved Asgard today." The last part was said in a sarcastic tone, but there was also a trace of relief in his voice.

"So it _was_ a good idea to go and kick that fucking alien's arse, eh?" Raven said cheerfully.

Loki huffed, called her annoying, and walked on.

They walked in silence for the rest of their way through the palace. First, Raven thought that Loki was leading them to the big throne hall- she remembered some of the corridors; she had fled through them before, cloaked in invisibility.

But the hall was not his destination. He walked past the great stone doors that stood wide open today, showing an empty hall cast in the shadows of its giant columns. Only the throne at the other end was bathed in golden sunlight.

Loki slowed his steps to give it a longing glance, and as if he was distracted or lost in thoughts, he headed straight for a blank wall. Raven almost expected him to bump into it. But when she got closer, she noticed that there was a hidden door. It reminded her of the door to the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. She doubted, though, that she would find what she craved on the other side; it would not open to a coffee paradise.

Tony didn't see anything until Loki opened that door. A dark corridor greeted them. Lights went on as they entered it, and after a few steps they reached a room that was dominated by a large, wooden table.

The maps and parchments that usually covered it had been pushed aside, stacked in careless piles next to an array of ink pots and quills, as if someone had hastily tried to clean it up. It still looked kind of messy.

The table was circled by a row of plain, wooden chairs- except for the one at the top, which was bigger and more majestic, and it looked as if it had been carved in one piece from an enormous tree, decorated with the regalia of his rule. Odin's chair.

It was empty, and it would remain empty.

Most of the seats weren't taken yet. Only a very old man was dozing in one of the chairs. All of the other people that had gathered in this room were still standing together in small groups, sharing the latest gossip.

They all fell silent and turned their heads when they noticed Loki.

Although word had spread what he had done today, they eyed him with suspicion and muttered derogative, sometimes even malicious remarks that were also aimed at Raven, the witch from Midgard. They hadn't forgotten her appearance at court yet, the way she had dared to oppose Odin. It would probably go down the annals of Asgardian history.

Well, she had just spoken her mind, and she didn't regret it. She would do it again.

Loki seemed to not give a damn about the spiteful whispers; with his head held high as if he was above those who shunned him, he took Raven's arm and guided her through the room. And she was probably the only one in there who knew just how tense he really was; she could feel it. It radiated from his body with every step he took, trying to pretend he didn't care, trying to keep to keep his anger and frustration in check. He kept his cool.

That moment, Frigga and Thor entered the room through another hidden door. The Queen of Asgard smiled at her lost, wayward son for everyone to see that she welcomed him back.

The whispers fell silent. Everybody was watching her and Thor expectantly.

Frigga gestured them to take a seat. She sat down at the right side of Odin's empty chair, Thor at its right. He glanced at Loki, seeking eye contact with his lost brother but wasn't granted it.

Demonstratively, Loki chose the chair next to Frigga, opposite of Thor, and he dragged Raven along with him. She followed him, heaving a sigh.

So did Tony. Although he had been Thor's ally in the battle of New York, and although he was obviously freaking nervous for having made this choice without being stuck safely in his suit, he sat down next to Loki If he was waiting for hell to break loose, it never happened. All was well.

Tony had just relaxed when Frigga rose to speak. She reminded everyone of what had happened today, the near defeat of Asgard, and how much her people had suffered, how many of them had lost their homes. She encouraged them all to pause for a moment of mourning, remembering their losses, before she finally informed them of the fact that Odin, their King, had been gravely wounded and fallen into Odinsleep to recover from his injuries he had suffered today, trying to protect his realm and its people. She opted for honesty when she told them that she didn't know how long his current state would last, or if he would ever wake up again. The healers said his chance for recovery was slim, but there was still hope left. In the end, there was always hope.

In the end, the realm was in need of a king, because there had always been a king. Asgard needed continuity. The Nine Realms of Yggdrasil had to be protected.

By now, everyone was glancing at Thor, the crown prince of Asgard, the golden boy, their hope. Their eyes were filled with great expectations.

Slowly, as if he hesitated to disappoint them, he rose from his seat and started to speak. "There can never be a wiser king than Odin."

The crowd applauded. Raven groaned quietly and rolled her eyes. Loki smirked.

"And there can never be a better father. For all of my life, I wanted him to be proud of me. Too often, I failed. In my youth, I courted war. I wanted father to be proud of the warrior I had become. I believed it takes a great warrior to be a good king. I was wrong. I was foolish. I was arrogant."

Loki would have loved to applaud but thought it wiser to refrain from doing so.

"In his wisdom, my father banished me to Midgard; he wanted to teach me a lesson, and I learned it the hard way. I changed. The boy he banished became a man in his exile. Now, I still want him to be proud of me, but not for the same reasons. Now, I'd rather be a good man than a great king.

"I want to be a good man to Jane. Her kind heart, her compassion guided me through my darkest hours, and her love helped me to find my way back home.

"I will always fight for the good of Asgard, and I will always protect the Nine Realms with my life. But I cannot do that from Odin's throne. I am not worthy to sit in his place or rule in his stead..."

No matter how he put it, the essence of his words were,_ I don't want the throne. Jane needs me more. I want to live with her in Midgard. I don't want to be King of Asgard._

_Brilliant idea,_ Raven thought and supported it at once. But then the mindless oaf possessed the nerve to flash an encouraging glance in Loki's direction, like offering him the throne on a silver platter, and that was decidedly not a brilliant idea.

"Brother."

_No. No. No. Bad karma._

The Asgardians stared at Thor in shock; it seemed as if their worst nightmare had just come true. Loki smiled victoriously.

Raven didn't know who she wanted to hex first. True, Loki had the potential to be a politician- after all, he was a very talented liar- but the throne would suit him ill. Bad karma...

_'We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita... _

_Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds._

_I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.'_

She had to interfere before Loki could do anything stupid.

"Well, Loki doesn't want the throne either," she said quickly.

Great. Now she had the undivided attention of all the Asgardians. Everybody was staring at her. The silence was only broken by one or two cautious sighs of relief, but most of the attenders remained sceptical.

Raven smiled.

Loki flashed her a murderous glare.

Loki couldn't believe his ears- had she really just said that he didn't want the throne?

_Oh,_ _but Loki wants it... very much so, actually..._

She must have gone 'd been so close to the throne and she had just spoiled it. His ally, the one who'd always said she trusted him, denied him his birthright.

But his initial anger subsided when he glanced around and looked into all these pale, shocked faces, how they lit up with a glimmer of hope that came with her words. It almost amused him.

The people of Asgard disliked him, they despised him. They didn't trust him at all. They would never accept him as their king, sitting on Odin's throne. One good deed (like saving everyone's arse today) could not redeem him of a lifetime of mischief and wickedness, and there was little he regretted.

Was it really worth all the trouble and arduousness it would take him to rule them? He had tried it before, and it had neither been successful... nor satisfying. Perhaps, he should better spare himself the trouble. It might be far more interesting to find out what the devious little witch had in mind, so he played along.

"Raven is right. I'm not interested."

_Ah, this is fun! _Asgard's elite reacted with just as much relief as bewilderment, and Thor glanced at him in confusion.

"I don't understand-"

_Why does that not surprise me? _Loki smiled jovially.

The silence that had held everyone in its grasp for a moment erupted in a sudden outbreak of voices all talking at once. The Asgardians were at a loss. They needed a king. There had always been a king, a protector of the Nine Realms. Someone had to take the burden of the crown.

They cast pleading eyes at Thor, and Heimdall persuaded the prince that he should do his duty- before Loki could change his mind. But for the time being Loki found the chaos following his quasi abdication much too entertaining.

Frigga was watching her sons with a frown. She understood Thor's reasons, and she knew he would change his mind if they kept on pleading. He was a good son. He would be a good king, one day. But it would break his heart if he had to give up Jane for the crown now, and in the end he would probably not be such a good king. There had to be another solution.

Not Loki, though. Frigga flashed him a brief glance, still surprised of how calm and level-headed he had taken Raven's abdication in his name, but she was glad that the witch had interjected. True, Loki was a clever and cunning politician, and he understood rule better than Thor. He'd already had his share of the brutality that came with power. She knew the throne would corrupt him. He would rule for the sacrifice of his soul, and she didn't want that for him. She didn't want that for any of her sons. They were still so young; they still had to find happiness and live their lives before the burden of the crown could turn them hard and cold, just like Odin.

But someone had to rule Asgard. Without a king the Nine Realms would drown in chaos.

"May I submit a proposal?" Raven asked.

Frigga arched a surprised brow at her and encouraged her to continue.

"Why don't we come up with a solution that will suit Asgard much better than pestering Thor-"

The very old man who had been dozing in his chair when they had arrived raised his head and said, "Hear, hear," before he dozed off again. Loki was the only one who found that amusing, the rest of the attenders stared at Raven with little patience and even less courtesy. None of them (except for Thor) would have allowed a mortal witch from Midgard to attend this meeting, least of all to open her mouth and speak. Without Frigga's support Raven wouldn't be here at all.

"We will never accept a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!" One of the Einherjar exclaimed.

"Yes, I know that. But in case it has escaped your notice, Loki is not available anyway."

The way she said it made Loki almost smile. She made it sound as if he was really not interested.

"What do you have in mind, witch?" Heimdall turned his golden, allegedly all-seeing eyes at Raven. It was plain to see that he didn't trust her- not only because she was Loki's ally, but also because he could not _see_ her. Of course, he saw her sitting there in her chair, glancing at him with a polite smile that was probably feigned, but he could not tell. He could not penetrate the barriers of her mind, could not find her in the patterns of the universe. She was clouded in nebulas, bright and colourful, and yet almost invisible.

"Her name is Raven." Loki informed him.

Heimdall did not care about her name. He didn't trust the witch. It bugged him tremendously that he could not figure her out. What was she up to? Was she a threat to Asgard?

Her answer came as a surprise to everyone.

Raven actually suggested them to hold an election.

Asgard's elite gasped at that; the very idea sounded totally outlandish to them. The line of succession had to go from the king to his son- you couldn't just vote for the heir to the throne.

"Not possible!"

"Never before..."

Raven heaved a sigh. Apparently, the concept of democracy was unknown to them.

"You cannot deny Thor his birthright!"

"The crown has to remain with the royal family!"

"Well then, if you prefer monarchy instead of democracy I don't understand the fuss you're making." Raven said. "May I remind you that you still have a queen?"

All fell silent for a moment, glancing at Frigga. Finally, the penny dropped. And the litany started all over again.

"Not possible!"

"Never before has Asgard been ruled by a queen!"

"Asgard needs a king!"

"Oh, forgive me if I thought that what Asgard needs most now is a sensible political leader, someone who is willing to deal with the mess the Chitauri left behind, and who is not afraid to show compassion when tending to the wounds this realm has suffer. I'm sorry if I was wrong." Raven cut in, not sounding sorry at all. Instead, there was a rather challenging undertone in her voice.

"She is right." Thor agreed, which came as a great surprise to all of his followers, and even Loki arched an acknowledging brow at him.

"Hear, hear," the very old man chimed in up again, now fully awake.

All eyes turned to Thor. The crown prince had spoken, and his words were true.

"I think it is a very good idea." With his concession Thor silenced the last sceptics before he continued, "But it's my mother's decision." He cast Frigga an encouraging glance. "Just know that whatever your choice is, I will support it."

Later, in the evening, Asgard celebrated the rule of its first queen. Frigga had accepted the throne for the time being, until Odin would awake or die, and Asgard's elite had agreed that that was probably the best solution, even though most of them still wanted Thor to be their king. But they could wait. His time would come one day.

There was no big coronation ceremony, just a simple ceremony to which the mortals were not invited. Raven didn't mind. She had gratefully taken the opportunity to clean herself up, wash the blood off her hands, and change into fresh clothes. A maid had brought her some typical Asgardian robe, but- without wanting to snub anyone- Raven preferred her own attire; she'd never been one for robes. In her youth she had almost been expelled for wearing silver platform boots at Hogwarts.

Just like the glamrock outsider at the wizarding school, she was an outsider here, too, looking totally out of place with her black jeans, boots and shirt. A punk lost in space, a million miles away from home.

Loki was the only one who smirked at her rebellious style when she entered another large hall of the palace. This evening, a great feast was being held to celebrate the victory over the Chitauri, and the beginning of a new era. For the first time in history, a queen ruled Asgard.

As Raven took in the scenery- the hall was furnished with long, solid, wooden tables that almost seemed to bend under the load of food heaved upon them- Loki took her arm and showed her to her seat, next to his at the main table. Along the way he informed her that Gungnir, Odin's spear, had recognized Frigga as the ruler of Asgard.

"Ah," she cocked a brow at him, "so you let a _spear_ decide who's worthy of ruling Asgard? How very advanced and sophisticated you Asgardians are."

Loki merely chuckled at that.

Although Raven clearly rooted for Frigga, she wondered if she was the only one in this hall who thought the feast a tad too debauched, and the mood a little too cheerful, considering the fact that many people had died today. They had lost their homes, their loved ones- and yet, Asgard was celebrating excessively.

She could hear the carefree laughter of men who had already done too much justice to the mead, telling stories of their heroic deeds- _why had she seen so little of that at the battlefield today_?

Posh drunkards were singing out of tune.

What about those who weren't that privileged to be invited to the party? The people in the streets? The homeless? The wounded? The poor? Were they having a good time, too?

Raven doubted that. She had left the table and was now standing at a balcony overlooking the devastation of a city in ruins. There were fires burning in the night. The ordinary citizens of Asgard had gathered in the open. Were they also celebrating the rule of the first Queen of Asgard?

"A penny for your thoughts, little witch." Loki purred into her ear.

Raven winced; lost in thoughts she hadn't noticed him approaching until he was already standing so close to her that she could feel his warm breath in her neck.

Involuntarily, she shuddered. He was much too close, and she decided to not turn around. Avoiding his eyes, avoiding the memory of a kiss. Damn, she couldn't deny a certain sexual attraction- he was a handsome fellow, and she wasn't immune to his charm.

Well, but probably he wasn't in a flirtatious mood anyway. Raven remembered the murderous glance he had flashed her at the meeting and asked, "So, have you come to throttle me?"

"Ah, I actually considered that..." Loki chuckled quietly before he continued in a more serious tone, "I was that one step closer to the throne, but you spoiled it for me. And yet, I cannot help but to acknowledge that very clever move of yours, my devious little witch."

Raven shrugged as she finally turned around to blink innocent eyes at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about you outwitting me, darling, because we both know that the only person I would never fight with over the throne of Asgard is Frigga, and you just installed her rule. Well done. I'm impressed by your cunning."

"Well... um, thanks. You really know how to flatter a Slytherin."

"And you're still trying to save my soul, eh?"

"Yep- and I'm doing tremendously well at that." She cast a shrewd glance at him. "You know, Loki, you're not really such an awfully bad guy; you're just chasing the wrong dream-"

The way he smirked at her made Raven almost regret her words. He was a dangerous man, even if he wasn't in the mood for world domination.

"Am I?"

She elbowed him and muttered, "Idiot." Nevertheless, she accepted his invitation to go for a walk, mainly because she was tired of the festivities anyway, of all the happy laughter, mindless banter and bawdy singing.

Sif shot a scornful glance at Loki as they walked past her to leave the hall. Of course, Raven noticed that since she was included in the warrior's disdain even if she hadn't done anything to deserve her contempt.

"Is she just jealous or what have you done to piss her off that much?" Raven asked a little later when they were outside the palace, walking dark and desolated streets, marred by the Chitauri attack.

"Sif?" Loki chuckled amused, then he said, "Well, I'm not Thor."

"Obviously. You're the lucky one. You've got a brain."

He did not reply for a long time, neither chuckling at her jibe nor commenting on her compliment. Loki remained unusually quiet, almost contemplative, as they strolled past destruction towards the flickering flames of fires the homeless had lit from the wreckage of their lives.

The sky above them was starry, full of constellations Raven had never seen before (admittedly, her interest in astronomy had always been little,) but she enjoyed the colourful nebulas flashing up and changing hues like some weird space lord on drugs was playing aurora borealis.

"We had an affair, a long time ago." Loki admitted all of a sudden.

"What? You and Sif?" Raven averted her gaze from the spectacle of colours in the sky and turned surprised eyes at him. Although she had already suspected something like that, she hadn't expected him to be willing to talk about it. "What went wrong?"

He let out a bitter bark of laughter. "I'm not Thor."

"Yeah, I already know that."

"Sif has always fancied Thor, and I was her means to the end of getting his attention. She failed. I had fun. That's it."

He sounded totally casual, as if it didn't mean anything to him, and yet Raven thought to have detected the slightest hint of an old hurt in his voice, scarred but not forgotten.

Loki just laughed it off. "I bet she's still scandalized at the thought of having fucked a Frost Giant."

He turned away from the light of fires before they could reach them, cheerfully linking arms with her, smiling disarmingly at her as he led he back to the palace. Loki seemed to have changed his priorities, and Raven wasn't certain if that was a good thing.

She liked him. She even trusted him- but she didn't know if she could trust herself when she followed him to his rooms, in her mind repeating all over again and again that she was a happily married witch. She was still very much in love with her husband. Sev was the man of her dreams, her lover and her best friend. But she was a million miles away from him, in the company of a damned handsome and charming trickster, who had managed to weasel his way into her heart somehow.

Raven knew what he was up to when she walked into his room and looked around. It was the very same room, the very same bed she had slept in the night before...

He didn't even try to conceal what he wanted; the need was in his eyes, almost burning her with its intensity.

She should have walked away.

"Stay with me tonight." Loki said.

Raven shook her head no, staring at the floor. It was a nice floor. Wooden, with intricate patterns that distracted her for a moment, and she stared at them for a moment longer, hoping the temptation would wear off. It didn't.

"I can't," she whispered defensively.

"Why not?"

"Loki, I'm married. Happily married. I love my husband."

"He's not here. He won't find out."

"You're impossible!"

"Stay..."

Raven should have been consequent. She should have left without looking back, but she stalled in indecision, torn. Never before had she even considered to betray her husband, and yet she couldn't deny the sexual attraction between them.

"What if you weren't married?" Loki asked with a silky voice that sent shivers down her spine.

_Ah, the possibilities! The temptation! _If she weren't married, the answer would be easy. She'd tear the clothes off Loki's lean body and allow him to to the same with her...

"Stay..."

_Damn!_ Of course he had noticed her hesitation, grinning ever so slightly at her. He smirked as he snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, so close that his lips were almost touching hers.

_Damn_! Raven glanced at the door. It was still standing open. She could still leave... and probably she would have left if she weren't in a faraway galaxy, millions of miles from home, the madness of the battle still raging through her veins...

She kicked the door shut and gave a damn about consequences as she kissed him with the same ferocity and passion his kiss ignited in her.

-ooOoo-

In the morning, Raven sprawled in bed before she finally woke with a pang of remorse as she recalled last night's lust, the wild frenzy of passion she had shared with Loki. She thought of Sev and felt bad, but not truly bad enough to regret anything. In the end, last night hadn't changed a thing. She was still the same.

We'll never be who we think we are if we merely remember what never happened, forever lost in memories of what could have been without giving them the stage to come true; and in that reality there was no place for qualms, only for missed chances.

One day, she would try to explain that to Sev- provided, she wasn't stranded in Asgard forever. Raven groaned when she sat up, looking for Loki. The sheets on his side of the bed were cold, indicating he had gotten up quite a while ago already.

"Good morning." He said in a smooth voice from somewhere near the door.

Raven turned her head. Loki gave the impression as if he'd just arrived from wherever, but it could have been as well that he had been watching her for some time. His eyes strayed over her naked form with a hungry expression. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable, so she wrapped herself in a sheet.

"Oh please, don't feign chastity. It doesn't suit you."

She blushed a little. _Damn_!

Loki chuckled and moved closer to the bed, producing a tray in the progress. Unceremoniously, he placed it in front of her.

"Breakfast in bed?" Raven arched a brow at him as she inspected the goodies he had brought her. Bread, cheese, honey, some grapes, an apple. "I hope you're not growing soft."

"Most certainly not."

The way he smirked suggestively made her grab the apple in order to throw it at him, but then she paused to stare at it. "Weird... you Asgardians seem to have an obsession with gold- even the apples are golden here."

"Try it. It's one of the specialities Asgard has to offer."

"I'd wish it had to offer a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee." With a sigh, Raven took a bite of the apple. It tasted like any ordinary apple- perhaps a tad too sweet for her liking, but deliciously juicy. Then she noticed that Loki was staring at her with a deviant smile on his lips, and there was an expression in his eyes she couldn't fathom at all.

Immediately, Raven stopped chewing and swallowed hard. "You're not trying to poison me, are you?"

He let out an amused bark of laughter. "Why would I want to do that, darling? I pretty much enjoyed last night."

"Oh... well..." She realized she was acting quite silly and flashed him a brief smile, trying to not recall last night's madness and how his lust had carried her away. But in the end, it had just been a sexual adventure.

Raven pondered how to explain that to Sev as she continued munching the apple.

"Bifrost is open again." Loki informed her casually, still watching her with keen eyes, licking his lips at the sight of a drop of juice trailing down her throat. "I assume you wish to return to your beloved husband..."

Raven didn't reply; she merely nodded without looking at him. It was a strange situation.

"… unless you prefer to stay and rule Asgard with me."

"What?" She stared at him in disbelief. "Didn't you say the only person you would never fight with over the throne is Frigga?"

"Right." Loki smirked with the innocence of a boy who had been caught in the act. Then he shook his head. "Just an idea."

"Yeah, and a stupid one to boot, given you proposed it to someone who is decidedly more anarchist than monarchist. Besides, the rock music scene in Asgard is poorly advanced- or, to be more precise, non-existent- and you don't even have coffee here."

Loki chuckled at that. "You're the most unusual woman I've ever met, little witch, and I met quite a few. None of them would decline a crown and a throne for music and coffee, though."

"Well, that's the way I am."

"Yes, indeed." In a lower voice he added. "And I think I like that."

Raven arched a quizzical brow at him. "Now, what was that? Sentiments, Loki?"

"Don't be absurd. Last night was fun, but this is not a love story."

"I'm glad we settled that because I'd hate to break your poor little black heart."

He laughed out out, clearly amused by her words.

Raven was relieved. All was well. She wasn't in love with Loki; Loki wasn't in love with her. Last night had merely been a sexual adventure, all passion and lust. Nothing more and nothing less. She still knew her place in life- it was with her husband (if he'd forgive her for what she'd done)- and Loki would surely find his place, too, one day.

Time had come to say goodbye to Asgard.

During a brief audience with the queen, Frigga expressed her gratitude in the name of all Asgardians. Raven wanted to hear none of that. She hadn't been the one who saved the day; she'd merely given food for thought (but that in abundance), and so she bowed her head in modesty- and because she hardly dared to look Frigga in the eye due to last night's debauchery with her son.

Needless to say that Loki noticed that, much to his entertainment. He kept on chuckling ever so slightly as he led her through the palace later, glancing at her in amusement every now and then, until they reached an enormous golden gate that open to a vast place. Then he fell silent. The destruction of the battle had clearly taken its toll here, and yet you could still see how grand and splendid this place must have been once.

There were statues of former kings, high and mighty. All in ruins, faces unrecognisable. Destroyed stone benches under tall trees- scorched to leafless skeletons. Ravaged flowerbeds...

Nevertheless, the place was crowded with people taking a stroll as if nothing had happened, as if they didn't really see the destruction and devastation all around them. But they stopped and started staring when Loki and Raven traversed the place.

He paid no heed to their gossip. He ignored the stares and snide remarks that greeted him the minute he came into the open. Totally unfazed he moved on with a grace that was his own, like a true prince of Asgard. Even if they scorned him, he held his head up high.

Raven smiled and followed suit. For a moment she didn't feel like the disdained witch but more like a princess- albeit a princess in rags, dark and depraved. She almost enjoyed people shying away from her. It was fun.

At the other end of the place, there was a bridge. A shimmering bridge, sparkling in all the colours of the rainbow, and it spanned from the city to Heimdall's observatory, a golden globe in the distance.

Here, they met with Tony Stark, who was apparently already waiting for them. He glanced from Raven to Loki and back, a suggestive grin plastered on his face as he arched a knowing brow at Raven, knowing she hadn't slept in her quarters last night.

"Not. A. Word!" She hissed at him, issuing a warning he actually got. Afraid of being turned into a frog or worse, Tony kept his big mouth shut.

Fortunately, he didn't know that she really sucked in Transifiguration.

Together, they walked the bridge in silence. Underneath them colourful nebulas were whirling, every now and then giving a glimpse at the total darkness of the abyss into which Loki had fallen once.

Then, they reached the golden globe. Heimdall was back at his post. He welcomed Tony in a friendly manner while glaring daggers of suspicion at Loki, trusting neither him nor Raven. But since he was a loyal man, loyal to the throne and to his queen, he greeted Loki with just as much respect as he could muster to not appear disrespectful.

Without uttering any more words, he operated the levers and activated the wheels that sat Bifrost in motion. The two mortals stared in wonder at the whirling tunnel leading into nothingness.

"Go." Loki said as he gave Tony an encouraging shove in the right direction.

Tony stopped before he could stumble into the portal. Its energy was already dragging at him, but he managed to turn around without getting sucked into the whirlwind, and he flashed Loki a surprised glance. "Whoa! Wait! What about you? I thought you-"

"Don't worry, you'll hardly have time to miss me." With a devious grin Loki nudged Tony's chest and sent him on the journey.

Raven arched an inquisitive brow at him. "Have you decided to stay in Asgard?"

"Just for a couple of days." Loki noticed that Heimdall was eavesdropping on them, so he shooed him away to have a moment of privacy with Raven.

They both knew it would be their last. She had her own life, a happy life with her beloved husband, and although Loki was planning to return to Midgard, soon, she would never call him or share his bed again.

Loki dispelled these thoughts quickly, not allowing a pang of regret. Instead he smirked before he continued in an airy tone, "Frigga might need my counsel in these hard times."

"Oh, I think she's quite capable of doing her job even without you messing around." Raven chuckled- he would not be able to manipulate Frigga, if that was his intention.

His eyes were sparkling mischievously as he purred, "What about the good you see in me, little witch?"

Torn between amusement and the urge to slap him hard, she avoided his eyes and cursed herself for even liking that scallywag. Loki was trouble personified. The God of Chaos, Mischief and Lies. He would never change his ways- he might have matured a little, but he'd always be the wild card in any game that was being played.

"Well, if you want to prove me right, you can do that by giving Frigga the advice to make peace with the Jotuns- I know it's not a popular decision with the Asgardians, but I think she'll get on very well with Farbauti, since they're both strong, badass women. Besides, that way you can keep your promise of returning that casket to them.".

"What?" Loki stared at her in shock, totally flabbergasted. His reaction showed her that he had never actually considered to keep a promise he hadn't even made, that he wouldn't be true to words she had put in his mouth as an excuse to ease their escape from Jotunheim. Now, he was surprised that she really meant what she had said, while she was neither surprise nor shock that he didn't.

"It's an idea worth considering."

Loki begged to differ, and yet he seemed to give it a thought. In the end, a sly smile was curling up the corners of his lips as he came to a decision. Raven knew at once that he had taken the bait- he was much too clever to not give it a try; he would sell that idea as his own because Frigga would like it.

Rolling her eyes, she heaved a sigh. Asgard's politics were not her business. She might have given an inspiration, might have pushed them in the right direction, but now it was time to leave that all behind and say goodbye.

Since she was no friend of long and teary farewells, Raven took one step closer towards the whirling energy of the portal. She could already feel the drag of Bifrost tearing at her, ready to send her back through time and space, back home again. Back to her husband...

There was no reason to stall her departure. And yet, she couldn't leave just like that. Not without turning around for one last time. Flashing him a wry smile, Raven cleared her throat. "You know, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for you, Loki-"

"Sentiments, little witch?"

"Ah, it would never work between us." No tears. No regrets. This was not a love story. "Just do me a favour and try not to shoot yourself in the back again. The only one you're hurting will be you."

Raven took another step forwards, but before Bifrost could finally take hold of her and carry her away, Loki snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her back. Their hips collided. He chuckled. For a moment, she stared deep into his sea-green eyes and thought, _damn_! The sexual attraction was still there. Once again, she was a million miles away from home.

"Let go of me!"

Loki chuckled again; there was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, now. His smirking lips brushed hers, almost tentative at first, but then with a passion that left her gasping for breath.

_Damn_!

She shouldn't have responded to his kiss. She wasn't in love with him. This was not a love song. Still, he managed to sweep her off her feet with his lust- a mad lust for life, for feelings he claimed to despise; playing games he knew he couldn't win...

Then, he let go of her, and the next thing Raven remembered was falling... everything went black in an inferno of blinding lights as Bifrost got hold of her; it sucked her into a maelstrom of energy that catapulted her through time and space.

Being a witch, she thought she'd already experienced the weirdest kinds of transportation, but this one was different. Weirder. Faster. Far more... _extreme._ Like multiplying Floo Powder with Portkeys and adding Apparation- and yet, it was not quite as unpleasant as it sounded.

Raven was travelling along a rainbow bridge that seemed to cross the universe. Although it all happened at a speed she knew no word for, she could still see stellar constellations in faraway galaxies; she saw the supernova of a dying star before it finally exploded, and she saw the utter darkness of a black hole.

There was no starman waiting in the sky...

Almost an instant later, the portal spat her back out and Raven landed on her backside in a circle of strange marks, like ancient hieroglyphs cast in modern stone. It took her a moment to realize where she was; then she recognised her own terrace and tried to put up with the fact that the marks were now part of it.

Heaving a sigh at the Asgardian design she glanced around. Apparently, she had arrived just in time to witness an even more bizarre situation.

Tony Stark, genius, billionaire and superhero, was not looking all too superheroic when being threatened by a dark-clad figure with a stick in his hands, and Tony was still without his Iron Man suit- except for a gauntlet on his right arm. Although he had already activated the repulsor, it would still be an uneven fight.

"No!" Raven called out. "No, no, no. Stop that!"

_Men_! Well, her husband's caution was understandable. After all, Tony had just managed to break through Severus' wards, which had never happened before. Blame it on the rainbow bridge.

But that was still no reason to start a fight.

Of course, Severus Snape had already noticed the presence of his wife. He flashed her a brief glace while keeping a sharp eye on the intruder; his wand pointed at Tony, who remained just as wary and hadn't lowered his arm either.

"Calm down. Don't kill each other. And don't transfigure him into a warty toad, Sev."

"Why not?" Severus asked in a scathing, sarcastic tone as he enjoyed the intruder's discomfort. Tony paled visibly.

Raven considered to _Stupefy_ both of them before any harm could be done, when all of a sudden more pieces of the Iron Man suit came shooting at Tony. He gasped at the impact.

Meanwhile, Severus clenched his wand so tightly his knuckles had almost turned white. Raven placed a placatory hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Hey, he's a friend."

"That guy? Really?" Severus arched a quizzical brow at her as he pointed his head at Tony. His transition was still far from being complete, and at the moment, he reminded the wizard of a sardine slowly trapped in a can.

"You don't want him to become the mighty Iron Toad."

Saying that Severus Snape was not familiar with the Muggle yellow press was probably the understatement of the year. He was totally ignorant of Muggle celebrities. Therefore, he had never seen Tony Stark's face before. But he knew of Iron Man since he had seen some footage of the alien attack on TV, and when piece after piece of gold-titanium alloy covered Tony in his trademark suit, he recognised him at last.

"I see." Finally, Severus lowered his wand.

"Great!" Raven gave him a peck on the cheek, appreciating his willingness to come around. With a cheerful smile she introduced both men to each other. "Sev, please meet my buddy Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Tony, my dear husband, Severus Snape."

"Charming." Tony's voice lacked conviction.

"Indeed." Severus drawled before he glanced at Raven again. "How did he manage to break through my wards?"

"Asgardian magic?" She offered with a shrug. It didn't matter. They were back in New York, back home again. There was no reason to complicate things. All she wanted was to have a cup of coffee.

Raven crossed the terrace, entered the apartment, and walked into the kitchen to operate her coffee machine. Soon, the delicate smell of freshly grounded coffee filled her nose. The expression on her face turned to utter delight as she inhaled the fumes, and when she finally took the first sip, she almost purred with pleasure. In was good to be back home.

In the meantime, Severus and Tony seemed to have found a common language, bantering fluently in sarcasm mingled with black humour.

It made her laugh. Raven enjoyed the moment because she knew it wouldn't last; she was just avoiding the inevitable for a little longer. Sooner or later, she would have to talk to Severus, and she would tell him everything that had happened in Asgard.

She wouldn't try to whitewash things, would not lie. Whatever had happened was all her fault, her decision, and she owed him the truth. Sev wasn't only her husband, he was also her best friend- and you simply don't lie to your best friend. Raven had already given up too many of her ideals whilst dealing with Loki, but not this one. No matter how much the truth would hurt, she was the only one to blame, and she had to face the consequences.

Her heart was aching for her husband, for the betrayal she would have to reveal even though he was still the love of her life. Her adventure with Loki didn't change anything. She had played his game, but now she would get her life back on track. Her Space Oddity was over.

-the end-

RIP David Bowie. The stars look very different today...


End file.
